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PICTURE 
T  H  EAT  R  E 
ADVERTISING 


EPES  WINTHROP  SARGENT 


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PUBUSHED  BY 


THE  MOVING  PICTURE  WORLD 
CHALMERS  PUBLISHING    COMPANY 

17    MADISON    AVENUE,    NEW    YORK    CITY 


Copyright  in  the  United  States,  1915 

Copyright  in  Great  Britain,  1915 

Copyright  in  Canada,  1915 

by 

The  Moving  Picture  World 

Chalmers  Publishing  Co. 

New  York 


All  Rights  Reserved 


m-Koyi 


I^eatre  Arts 
Literary 


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TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

Introduction   v 

I.    The  Personality  of  the  Theatre 1 

II.     The  Lobby  as  an  Advertisement 8 

III.  Advertising  Features  for  the  House 20 

IV.  The  Importance  of  House  Trade  Marks 28 

V.     Music  as  an  Advertisement 31 

VI.    Tabulating   Information 37 

VII.    Catchlines  45 

VIII.     Advertising  on  the  Screen 50 

IX.    Lithographs  and  Billboards 59 

X.     Doing  Press  Work 70 

XI.     Nev^^spaper  Advertising 82 

XII.     Type  and  Typesetting 93 

XIII.  Halftone  and  Line  Cuts 113 

XIV.  Printing,  Paper  and  Cuts 119 

XV.     Preparing  Advertising  Copy 124 

XVI.     Distributed    Matter 143 

XVII.     Novelty  Advertisements 155 

XVIII.     House  Program  Forms  and  Advertisements 167 

XIX.     Copy  for  House  Programs 187 

XX.     Methods  of  Distributing 195 

XXI.     Form    Letters 202 

XXII.     Street   Advertising 209 

XXIII.  Getting  Matinee  Business ,  . .  217 

XXIV.  Prize  and  Contest  Schemes 225 

XXV.     Premium  and  Coupon  Schemes 234 

XXVI.    Various    Schemes 240 

XXVII.     Advertising    Special    Seasons 250 

XXVIII.     Handling  Specials  and  Serials 262 

XXIX.     Summer  Advertising 272 

XXX.    Rainy  Day  Advertising 280 

XXXL    Opening  a  House 285 

XXXII.    Opposition 294 

iii 


INTRODUCTION 

Nothing  written  about  advertising  would  be  complete 
without  an  early  reference  to  "those  earliest  advertise- 
ments, the  primitive  picture  stories  scratched  upon 
stones  by  prehistoric  man."  To  comply  with  the  con- 
ventions this  allusion  is  made  and  disposed  of.  In  reality 
advertising  is  a  vastly  larger  subject  than  is  comprehended 
in  the  idea  of  announcement  by  means  of  permanent 
characters.  Advertising,  in  fact,  antedates  the  existence 
of  man  upon  this  planet ;  it  goes  even  further  back,  to  the 
time  when  there  was  no  animal  life. 

This  may  seem  to  be  getting  too  far  back  into  the  dim 
realms  of  the  past,  since  advertising,  as  it  is  generally 
understood,  is  the  art  of  selling  by  means  of  publicity, 
but  advertising  is  not  merely  a  matter  of  printing  from 
types,  of  posting  lithographs,  of  sending  out  a  sandwich 
man.  The  real  advertising  is  everything  that  may  attract 
trade,  and  the  word  of  mouth  advertising  of  a  pleased 
patron  is  better  than  the  most  attractive  or  sensational 
lithograph  ever  pasted  on  a  wall. 

Even  before  the  creation  of  brute  life  plants  advertised 
their  attractions  by  means  of  vividly  colored  flowers, 
attractive  odors  or  waving  foliage.  Long  before  man 
came,  the  beasts  roared  out  their  defiance  of  one  an- 
other ;  advertising  their  own  might,  or  called  to  their 
mates  to  advertise  their  skill.  Eve,  Mother  of  the  Race, 
was  the  first  to  yield  to  the  seduction  of  an  advertisement, 
for  the  Serpent  advertised  the  apples  so  attractively  that 
she  fell.  In  actual  practise  there  is  little  difference  be- 
tween that  early  advertisement  and  the  current  announce- 
ment of  the  bargain  counters. 

Advertising,  then,  is  a  matter  of  publicity.  It  is  not 
confined  to  one  or  two  forms  of  announcement  but  ranges 
from  the  personality  of  the  house  owner  to  the  condition 
of  the  broom  with  which  the  house  is  swept.    It  shall  be 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

the  purpose  of  this  volume  to  treat  the  matter  in  its 
widest  aspect  and  in  every  detail. 

No  great  credit  is  claimed  by  the  author  for  other  than 
the  work  of  compilation,  for  many  of  the  examples  and 
most  of  the  ideas  have  been  contributed  by  the  exhibitors 
of  America,  primarily  to  the  Advertising  for  Exhibitors 
department  of  The  Moving  Picture  World.  More 
material  has  come  from  those  who  represent  the  other 
side  of  the  argument;  the  people  advertised  to.  They 
have  contributed  their  ideas  and  impressions.  For  the 
rest  this  writer  has  drawn  upon  his  quarter  century's 
experience  in  amusement  journalism  as  critic  and  editor. 

Throughout  the  book  the  word  "Exhibitor"  is  used  in 
preference  to  "manager"  because  Exhibitor  has  come  to 
mean  one  who  exhibits  or  presents  motion  picture  pro- 
grams. In  the  early  days  of  the  "Biograph  theatres"  it 
was  a  term  of  reproach,  for  then  an  exhibitor  was  any 
sort  of  itinerant  showman,  presenting  in  a  tent  or  vacant 
store  some  attraction  to  catch  the  nickels  and  dimes  of 
the  unwary.  In  those  days,  it  must  be  confessed,  many 
of  those  engaged  in  the  business  deserved  the  odium  that 
attached  to  the  name.  Today  the  term  remains,  but 
through  the  efforts  of  the  real  business  men,  the  reproach 
has  been  removed  and  it  has  come  to  have  a  definite 
meaning  as  ap|)lying  to  this  one  particular  form  of  amuse- 
ment enterpirse  in  distinction  to  the  term  "manager"  that 
applies  to  the  conductor  of  any  form  of  entertainment. 
It  is  distinctive  and  exact  and  in  no  way  a  thing  to  be 
ashamed  of. 

And  to  the  Exhibitors  our  thanks  are  offered  for  tb.eir 
co-operation  in  the  production  of  this  work.  It  is  one 
of  the  most  pleasant  features  of  this  great  enterprise  that 
the  men  who  stand  at  the  head  are  so  generously  willing 
to  help  their  fellows.  In  no  other  form  of  amusement 
undertaking  is  there  present  such  a  spirit  of  friendliness 
and  helpfulness.  Some  men  are  born  advertisers  and  it 
is  not  always  those  with  the  most  important  houses  who 
get  the  most  pronounced  results.  Many  of  the  schemes 
presented  here  are  the  products  of  men  in  towns  of  small 
population.     Perhaps  the  condition  makes  for  enterprise, 


INTRODUCTION  vii 

for  the  man  who  conducts  a  theatre  in  a  town  of  twelve 
hundred  population  must  be  constantly  alert  to  keep  up 
his  trade  and  only  the  enterprising  survive.  Some  of 
them  pass  to  the  cities  to  assume  greater  responsi- 
bilities, but  many  prefer  to  remain  in  their  home 
towns,  content  with  the  smaller  financial  return  but  the 
greater  comfort  that  comes  from  lesser  responsibilities. 
But  to  all  Exhibitors,  great  or  small,  who  have  directly 
or  indirectly  contributed  to  the  making  of  this  book,  the 
most  hearty  and  sincere  thanks  are  offered.  It  has  not 
always  been  possible  to  give  due  and  full  credit,  by  name, 
but  this  has  been  done  where  possible.  To  the  others 
apologies  are  offered.  To  name  all  would  be  practically 
to  catalogue  the  enterprising  Exhibitors  of  today. 

It  has  been  the  aim  of  the  writer  to  offer  clearly  and 
understandably  the  facts  collected  and  collated.  This 
book  is  not  offered  as  a  contribution  to  literature  but  as 
a  help  to  those  who  conduct  motion  picture  theatres.  If 
this  purpose  has  been  served,  I  am  content. 

Epes  Winthrop  Sargent. 
New  York,  August,  1915. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  PERSONALITY  OF  THE  THEATRE 

The  theatre  must  make  good  for  the  advertising  done 
on  its  behalf — an  advertisement  is  an  implied 
promise  to  give  a  perfect  performance — the 
Elxhibitor  should  keep  well  informed — should  be 
a  man  of  standing  in  his  community — the  need 
for  cheerful  and  courteous  employees — ignoring 
opposition — keeping  proper  order. 

Advertising,  if  you  will  look  it  up  in  the  dictionary, 
means  "to  inform ;  to  give  notice  to."  Advertising  does 
not  mean  merely  a  display  of  type  in  a  newspaper  or 
hand  bill,  the  posting  of  lithographs  or  other  graphic 
forms.  As  hinted  in  the  introduction,  these  are  the  lesser 
forms  of  publicity.  Advertising  starts  with  the  person- 
ality of  the  Exhibitor  and  the  personality  of  his  house. 
Every  seemingly  unimportant  factor  about  the  house  is 
advertising  in  the  proper  sense  and  each  factor  must  back 
the  others  up. 

Newspaper  or  billboard  advertising  cannot  long  help  an 
inferior  article.  For  proof  you  have  only  to  recall  the 
rise  and  fall  of  many  nationally  advertised  articles.  You 
see  everywhere  the  advertisement  of  a  certain  brand  of 
scouring  soap.  It  has  been  a  standard  for  years.  Thirty 
years  ago  an  energetic  campaign  was  planned  for  an 
English  soap.  Advertisements  appeared  everywhere. 
Today  it  is  never  heard  of.  It  was  either  not  so  good  as 
or  no  better  than  the  other.  Advertising  could  not  make 
it  better.  Since  that  time  scores  of  other  compounds  have 
come  up.  Some  have  become  permanent,  others  have 
been  forgotten  again.  The  latter  did  not  make  good  for 
the  advertising.     Almost   anyone   will  purchase  an   ad- 


2  PICTURE    THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

vertised  article  and  try  it.  To  gain  a  regular  sale  the 
article  must  be  good.  The  motion  picture  theatre  is  no 
different  in  this  respect  from  a  patent  breakfast  food  or 
a  folding  bed.  The  article  advertised  must  sustain  that 
advertising  by  its  excellence  or  the  advertising  will  have 
been  done  in  vain. 

In  the  case  of  the  motion  picture  theatre,  the  adver- 
tising implies  a  contract  not  only  to  show  certain  specified 
subjects,  but  to  show  these  to  the  best  possible  advantage. 
There  is  the  understood  promise  that  the  pictures  shall 
be  seen  under  the  most  advantageous  conditions  of  com- 
fort, cleanliness  and  service.  The  Exhibitor  who  invites 
his  patrons  to  enter  an  unkempt  house  is  a  liar.  The  Ex- 
hibitor who  offers  improper  projection,  whether  this 
means  films  in  poor  condition,  film  not  properly  run,  or 
run  at  excessive  speed,  is  as  much  a  thief  as  the  grocer 
who  sells  rotten  eggs  for  fresh  ones  or  the  shoemaker 
who  uses  paper  soles  instead  of  leather. 

A  bright  and  attractive  theatre,  courteous  attendants, 
good  film  subjects  and  proper  projection,  are  all  adver- 
tising just  as  surely  as  is  a  page  of  announcement  in  the 
papers  or  a  hundred  sheets  of  lithographs.  More  than 
that,  it  is  of  greater  importance  because  more  lasting  in 
its  effect.  Your  billboards  must  be  renewed  and  news- 
paper space  paid  for  daily.  The  personality  of  your 
house  is  a  constant  and  unchanged  factor,  and  for  that 
reason  the  personality  of  the  house  is  given  earliest  and 
most  emphatic  attention. 

As  a  rule  the  personality  of  the  house  is  but  the  re- 
flection of  the  personality  of  the  owner,  but  this  does 
not  always  hold  good.  A  careless,  good  natured  but 
easy-going  Exhibitor  may  have  a  house  with  a  surly, 
greedy  personality  because  he  does  not  make  a  properly 
careful  selection  of  employees  and  does  not  realize  the 
importance  of  correcting  his  errors  of  employment  and 
replace  incompetent  persons  with  able  employees.  On 
the  other  hand  an  Exhibitor  may  lack  the  proper  qualities 
himself  and  yet  understand  the  importance  of  gathering 
about  him  those  who  can  contribute  the  personality  he 
himself  is  deficient  in. 


THE    PERSONALITY    OF   THE   THEATRE  3 

If  the  Exhibitor  has  both  personality  and  the  ability 
to  gather  about  him  those  who  possess  the  same  qualities, 
the  conditions  are  ideal.  It  not  infrequently  happens 
that  patronage  will  go  to  a  house  offering  a  less  notable 
program  than  another  solely  because  the  personality  of 
one  house  is  such  that  the  public  prefers  it  to  the  other 
house  with  more  expensive  bills  but  a  repellant  atmos- 
phere. 

It  should,  however,  be  clearly  understood  that  person- 
ality does  not  merely  mean  the  externals  of  the  theatre. 
There  are  countless  well  dressed  boors  just  as  many 
ragged  coats  cover  warm  and  loyal  hearts.  By  person- 
ality is  meant  the  entire  atmosphere  of  the  house  and  not 
merely  its  appearance.  Gold  leaf  and  glitter  will  not 
replace  the  want  of  a  smile  at  the  ticket  window  nor 
condone  the  indifference  of  doorman  or  usher.  Decora- 
tion is  a  part  of  personality,  but  it  is  merely  the  dressing; 
the  external.  The  heart  of  the  house  is  of  vastly  greater 
importance. 

If  the  Exhibitor  himself  has  the  right  sort  of  person- 
ality, it  pays  to  impress  this  not  only  on  the  house  people 
but  on  the  patrons.  This  applies  more  forcefully,  of 
course,  to  the  small  town  house  or  the  neighborhood 
theatre,  for  here  good  will  counts  for  more  than  it  does 
at  the  large  enterprise  in  the  business  district  of  a  city, 
but  most  picture  theatres  are  built  up  on  personality  alone. 
They  are  intimate  and  friendly. 

The  Exhibitor  who  holds  his  trade  best  is  he  who 
spends  a  good  part  of  his  time  about  the  house.  He  is 
known  to  the  greater  portion  of  his  clientele.  He  greets 
them  with  a  courteous  but  not  too  demonstrative  a  wel- 
come and  speeds  their  departure  with  a  cordial  "Good 
night"  and  an  inquiry  as  to  their  enjoyment.  He  is 
anxious  to  please  each  patron  individually.  He  knows 
their  likes  and  dislikes ;  their  preference  for  certain  stars. 
He  knows  what  they  desire  and  tries  to  procure  it,  but 
he  does  not  promise  to  obtain  what  he  knows  he  cannot. 
He  listens  attentively  to  complaints  and  either  explains 
or  corrects.  He  is  primed  with  information  as  to  the 
business  and  is  looked  upon  as  a  well  of  information. 


4  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

The  really  wise  Exhibitor  will  not  pretend  to  possess  in- 
formation he  lacks.    Either  he  knows  or  he  will  find  out. 

But  the  Exhibitor  should  have  an  influence  extending 
beyond  the  confines  of  his  house.  He  should  seek  to 
make  himself  a  man  of  mark  in  the  community.  He 
draws  a  living  from  his  town  or  neighborhood.  He 
should,  in  return,  give  part  of  himself  to  the  interests  of 
that  town  or  section.  He  should  not  only  be  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Trade,  but  he  should  be  an  active  and 
helpful  member ;  not  trying  to  run  things  but  always 
ready  to  second  the  efforts  of  others,  save  where  the 
necessity  for  his  leadership  is  clearly  indicated. 

If  there  is  a  movement  to  collect  a  fund,  let  him  not 
only  be  a  contributor  to  the  fund.  He  should  aid  to 
influence  others.  He  should  let  his  house  be  designated 
as  a  depository.  He  should  give  a  benefit  matinee.  He 
should  make  his  theatre  a  rallying  point.  This  not  alone 
brings  prominence  to  the  house,  but  as  a  leader  in  the 
movement,  he  comes  in  contact  with  the  newspapers,  and 
the  chairman  of  the  fund  is,  to  the  editor,  a  person  of 
greater  importance  than  the  man  who  runs  the  picture 
show. 

One  man  can  trace  his  immediate  success  in  a  small 
town  and  subsequent  removal  to  a  larger  house  in  a 
metropolis  to  a  single  act  of  thoughtfulness.  The  town 
was  the  seat  of  an  institution  for  the  deaf  and  duml). 
The  Exhibitor  sought  to  attract  attention  to  the  house 
by  giving  the  charges  a  free  matinee  performance.  Their 
enjoyment  of  the  treat  was  so  great  that  he  presented 
them  all  with  season  tickets.  The  courtesy  was  not 
abused  and  the  comment  created  was  of  great  value.  He 
was  accepted  as  one  of  the  big  men  of  the  town  and  the 
showing  he  made  there  brought  him  advancement. 

One  important  thing  to  be  remembered  is  that  there 
is  no  such  thing  as  opposition.  This  will  be  more  fully 
treated  in  a  subsequent  chapter  but  must  be  mentioned 
here  as  a  part  of  the  personality,  for  no  one  really  likes 
a  "knocker"  and  comment  on  your  opponent  will  invari- 
ably react  in  his  favor. 

Next  to  the  Exhibitor  himself,  the  ticket  seller   and 


THE    PERSONALITY    OF   THE   THEATRE  5 

doorman  are  most  important,  because  these  are  the  ones 
with  whom  the  entering  patron  first  comes  in  contact. 

The  ticket  seller  is  generally  a  woman.  She  should  be 
attractive  but  not  too  pretty  unless  she  is  one  of  those 
rare  exceptions  who  does  not  unduly  value  her  good  looks. 
The  "flash"  seller  does  well  enough  for  a  temporary 
showing  where  the  entire  front  is  flashy,  but  for  a  perma- 
ment  institution  a  woman  with  a  tactful  manner  and  a 
winning  smile  is  a  greater  asset  than  a  peroxide  blonde 
who  has  no  use  for  other  women  and  too  much  attraction 
for  young  men. 

The  doorman,  too,  must  be  tactful  and  gracious.  He 
must  greet  the  incoming  patrons  and  make  them  feel  that 
they  are  genuinely  and  sincerely  welcome.  He  must 
police  the  lobby  and  perform  this  office  competently. 
Nothing  hurts  a  house  more  than  to  have  children  hang- 
ing about  the  entrance,  and  yet  their  interest  must  be 
encouraged.  He  must  know  when  to  move  them  on  and 
how  best  to  do  this.  They  cannot  be  driven  away,  for 
if  Mrs.  Jones'  little  Johnnie  comes  home  with  the  tearful 
complaint  that  he  was  chased  away  from  the  theatre  or 
perhaps  threatened,  not  only  Mrs.  Jones  but  all  of  her 
friends  will  be  up  in  arms  and  declare  a  boycott  on  the 
house. 

Inside  the  house  there  should  always  be  some  adult 
person  present  to  preserve  order.  This  should  be  the 
Exhibitor  himself,  if  possible,  or  else  some  carefully 
chosen  deputy.  It  is  absurd  to  put  a  half-grown  boy  in 
charge  and  expect  him  to  act  with  tact  and  courtesy  in 
correcting  his  elders  without  giving  affront. 

One  of  the  earliest  charges  against  the  picture  theatres 
(and  the  charge  too  often  was  well  sustained  in  those 
days)  was  that  the  theatre  was  the  resort  of  half-grown 
boys  and  girls  whose  laughter  and  talking  made  it  im- 
possible for  older  persons  to  enjoy  the  performance. 
With  the  dark  auditorium  it  was  not  always  possible  to 
exercise  proper  supervision,  but  auditoriums  are  no  longer 
dark,  and  now  conditions  may  be  corrected. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  charge  up  and  down  the  aisles, 
hurling  threats  right  and  left.     Have  it  understood  that 


6  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

order  must  be  preserved  and  enforce  the  rule  as  un- 
ostentatiously as  possible.  If  you  take  charge  of  an  old 
house  where  conditions  have  been  bad,  use  the  slides  to 
tell  of  the  change  of  plan.  As  a  last  resort  eject  a  few 
of  the  ringleaders  and  forbid  them  the  house.  Usually 
it  will  be  sufficient  to  mark  their  conduct  and  speak  a 
word  of  caution  as  they  are  leaving. 

Sometimes  it  is  sufficient  merely  to  stand  in  a  side 
aisle  near  an  offender.  The  silent  watchfulness  is  more 
ominous  than  a  threat  would  be  and  nothing  need  be 
said.  Offenders  are  not  always  the  younger  people  and 
spoken  reproach  may  be  the  more  strongly  resented  be- 
cause it  is  deserved,  but  the  silent  presence  in  the  aisle 
cannot  be  objected  to.  It  is  best  to  give  the  ushers  in- 
structions not  to  seek  to  handle  such  offense  themselves 
but  to  report  immediately  to  the  Exhibitor  or  some  other 
person  designated. 

It  is  even  conceivable  that  in  some  rough  sections  arrest 
may  be  necessary.  This  should  be  the  extreme  resort. 
If  the  patrons  are  persistently  rowdyish,  arrange  to  make 
an  example  of  some  offender.  See  the  Captain  of  the 
precinct,  if  your  house  is  in  the  city,  or  arrange  with  the 
proper  peace  officer  in  a  town.  Make  the  arrest  and 
press  the  charge.  Do  not  compromise.  Generally  the 
most  extreme  cases  can  be  amended  by  a  single  arrest, 
but  the  arrest  should  be  made  only  when  all  other  means 
have  been  tried  and  have  failed. 

One  Exhibitor,  coming  to  a  house  that  had  failed 
several  times,  because  successive  managements  had  been 
unable  to  preserve  order,  changed  affairs  entirely  within 
a  week  by  merely  calling  to  the  rear  of  the  house  those 
who  were  most  unruly.  Their  admissions  were  returned 
and  they  were  led  from  the  house,  the  doorkeeper  being 
notified  not  to  admit  them  and  the  ticket  seller  being 
given  the  same  caution. 

In  this  conenction  it  is  well  to  note  that  the  status  of 
the  ticket  differs  with  the  States.  In  some  instances  a 
ticket  is  regarded  as  a  license  and  in  others  it  is  a  lease. 
A  lease  may  not  be  broken  without  redress.  A  license 
may  be  revoked  at  any  time  by  reimbursing  the  holder  of 


THE    PERSONALITY    OF   THE   THEATRE  7 

the  license.  It  is  best  to  have  the  tickets  read  to  the  effect 
that  "This  ticket  is  a  Hcense,  terminable  at  the  pleasure 
of  the  management." 

The  house  where  "everything  goes"  has  no  permanency. 
It  appeals  only  to  a  limited  class  and  cannot  endure.  It 
may  change  hands  several  times  but  in  the  end  it  must 
close  unless  it  comes  into  the  control  of  a  man  strong 
enough  to  cope  with  the  situation.  The  constant  tendency 
is  toward  the  betterment  of  conditions,  and  this  tendency 
must  be  catered  to. 

Have  a  pride  in  your  business  whether  your  house  seats 
two  hundred  or  two  thousand.  The  days  of  the  store 
show  are  over  and  with  their  going  passed  away  many 
of  the  old  traditions.  The  Exhibitor  is  no  longer  the 
product  of  an  accident  of  chance.  The  fittest  only  have 
survived.  Be  not  alone  an  exhibitor  of  motion  pictures 
but  their  champion.  Be  as  quick  to  resent  a  slur  against 
pictures  in  general  as  you  are  to  resent  a  criticism  against 
your  own  house.  If  there  is  newspaper  opposition  and 
some  "Regular  Reader"  or  "Old  Subscriber"  vents  his 
spleen  in  print  make  reply  quickly  and  temperately,  re- 
membering that  abuse  is  not  argument  and  that  mild 
ridicule  is  a  more  effective  weapon  than  denunciation. 
The  exhibition  of  pictures  is  your  business.  Not  only 
respect  your  business  yourself  but  make  others  respect  it. 
Make  people  realize  the  educational  value  of  pictures. 
Make  them  realize  what  an  important  factor  pictures 
have  become. 

Adroit  Exhibitors  can  do  much  to  educate  and  influence 
the  tastes  of  their  patrons.  They  can  lead  them  insen- 
sibly toward  better  things.  One  Exhibitor  undertook  to 
replace  vaudeville  with  good  music.  He  put  the  matter  to 
a  vote.  The  vote  was  overwhelmingly  in  favor  of  vaude- 
ville, but  he  announced  that  music  had  won  and  put  music 
in.  The  patrons  supposed  that  it  was  the  choice  of  the 
majority.  They  first  tolerated  and  then  actually  approved 
the  innovation.  They  did  not  know  what  they  really 
wanted.  They  were  led  to  believe  that  they  wanted  the 
better  things. 

Lead  your  patrons  to  an  appreciation  of  better  things. 


8  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Make  them  help  you  to  raise  the  standard  of  the  house. 
The  better  your  entertainment,  the  greater  its  drawing 
power  and  the  higher  the  admission  you  may  charge. 
Create  a  demand  for  better  things  but  do  it  so  tactfully 
that  it  appears  that  you  are  but  responding  to  the  existing 
demand.  The  more  you  do  for  your  business  the  more 
your  business  will  do  for  you. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  LOBBY  AS  AN  ADVERTISEMENT 

The  lobby  should  be  backed  up  by  the  interior — the 
use  of  lithographs — the  billboard  and  frames — 
bulletin  boards — value  of  moving  advertisements 
— value  of  proper  colors — electric  signs. 

The  lobby  is  to  the  house  what  an  overcoat  is  to  a 
man's  dress.  Like  the  cloak  of  charity,  it  may  cover  a 
multitude  of  sins,  just  as  the  overcoat  may  hide  a  rusty, 
white-seamed  coat  and  soup-stained  waistcoat.  The  man 
who  removes  a  costly  overcoat  to  display  beneath  a  coat 
worn  green  by  age,  disgusts  by  the  palpable  catering  to 
externals.  In  precisely  the  same  way  the  handsome  lobby 
that  gives  upon  a  foul-smelling  and  unkempt  auditorium 
makes  the  house  doubly  a  disappointment.  The  new 
patron  who  is  attracted  by  the  inviting  condition  of  the 
lobby  will  be  quick  to  resent  the  deception.  The  lobby 
will  merely  serve  to  emphasize  and  intensify  the  poor 
conditions  within. 

Just  how  to  dress  your  front  to  the  best  effect  is  largely 
a  matter  of  your  location  and  your  clientele.  There  can 
be  laid  down  no  hard  and  fast  rules,  but  it  is  well  always 
to  remember  that  the  broader  you  make  your  appeal  the 
larger  will  be  the  class  from  which  you  can  draw  your 
trade. 

As  a  general  thing  the  picture  theatre  lobbies  are  over- 
dressed.    The  arch  is  framed  in  lurid  lithographs,  the 


THE    LOBBY   AS    AN   ADVERTISEMENT  9 

space  is  blocked  by  smaller  sheets  and  there  are  houses 
where  patrons  actually  have  to  stoop  to  enter  because  the 
top  display  drops  so  low.  One  house,  at  least,  in  New 
York  City,  goes  still  further.  It  leaves  but  two  narrow 
openings  in  the  mass  of  bills,  one  for  entrance  and  an- 
others  for  exit.  The  rest  is  such  a  jumble  of  posters  that 
nothing  ever  stands  out. 

This  is  positively  vicious  and  there  is  no  conceivable 
circumstance  that  can  call  for  such  a  prodigal  display. 
The  fake  dime  museum  hides  behind  a  false  front  of 
"paintings"  to  conceal  the  fact  that  it  is  but  a  temporary 
affair,  and  the  false  clothing  stores  plaster  their  windows 
with  signs  to  keep  out  the  revealing  light  of  day  and 
hide  the  shoddy  that  they  sell.  The  picture  theatre,  even 
in  the  meanest  locality,  needs  no  such  disguise  and  the 
offending  houses  not  alone  hurt  themselves,  but  the  busi- 
ness in  general,  in  that  they  create  in  the  minds  of  many 
a  false  impression  of  picture  theatres  as  a  whole.  It 
may  be  accepted  that  the  lower  the  grade  of  intelligence 
of  the  patrons  the  more  vivid  should  be  the  appeal,  but 
even  in  the  slums  the  excessive  use  of  paper  is  neither 
necessary  nor  desirable. 

One  Canadian  Exhibitor  uses  no  lithographs  in  his 
lobby,  showing  instead  specially  painted  posters,  examples 
of  which  are  seen  in  Figure  1.  This  is  an  ideal  form  of 
decoration,  but  few  Exhibitors  can  afford  to  maintain  a 
staff  of  artists.  Some  feel  that  they  cannot  even  afford 
to  employ  a  sign  letterer  occasionally,  but  in  a  small  town 
it  is  often  possible  to  make  the  painter  come  to  the  house. 
Give  him  a  room  where  he  can  do  his  work.  Give  him 
light  and  heat  and  rent  free  in  return  for  a  specified 
amount  of  work,  and  he  will  do  the  best  work  he  can 
for  you,  knowing  that  it  will  be  handy  to  be  able  to  dis- 
play as  samples  this  lobby  work.  It  is  a  good  and 
thoroughly  practicable  scheme  for  both  painter  and  Ex- 
hibitor; for  the  painter  will  soon  find  that  his  theatre 
work  gives  him  a  certain  prestige  and  advertisement. 

Let  such  posters  as  you  do  use  be  true  to  the  film. 
Untold  harm  has  been  done  in  the  past  by  the  use  of 
"stock"  paper.     Then  it  was  the  only  kind  obtainable. 


10 


PICTURE    THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


Now  all  releases  have  one  sheets  and  some  of  the  features 
carry  as  large  a  line  of  paper  as  the  large  theatrical  at- 
tractions. 

The  aim  of  the  Exhibitor  should  be  to  suggest  the 
dramatic  theatre  rather  than  the  side  show  and  this  means 
a  sparing  use  of  paper  in  the  lobby.  It  is  not  always 
expedient  to  maintain  a  huge  electric  sign,  but  the  lack 
of  such  an  advertisement  should  not  be  the  excuse  for 


Figure   l.     I'^.i/.m   signs  used   by  a   Canadian   Exhibitor 
in  place  of  lobby  lithographs. 


the  use  of  banners  two  and  three  high  or  three  and  even 
twenty-eight  sheets  hung  as  banners.  If  the  lobby  affords 
ample  space,  there  may  be  one  sheet  for  each  current  at- 
traction. These  should  be  neatly  framed,  if  possible,  and 
it  always  is  possible  to  frame  them  neatly  if  not  expen- 
sively. It  may  not  be  practical  to  invest  in  heavy  brass 
frames ;  though  brass  frames  may  be  had  at  prices  ab- 
surdly small.  There  is  nothing  to  prevent  you  from 
having  boards  made  and  framed  with  simple  moulding, 
to  be  obtained  from  the  planing  mill  at  a  trifling  cost. 
Even  the  stuff  known  as  "  quarter  round"  is  better  than 
a  plain  board  and  will  cost  but  a  few  cents.  If  wooden 
frames  are  used  do  not  gild  them.     Gilding  only  serves 


THE   LOBBY    AS    AN    ADVERTISEMENT  11 

to  advertise  the  fact  that  you  want  brass  and  cannot 
afford  it. 

All  frames  should  be  provided  with  glass  fronts  Lo 
preserve  the  paper  and  keep  it  neat.  Have  the  door  so 
arranged  that  the  glass  can  be  quickly  removed  if  broken 
and  keep  on  hand  a  couple  of  sheets  of  spare  glass  to 
be  inserted  at  once  in  the  event  of  breakage.  Good  glass 
costs  more  than  inferior  quality,  but  the  heavier  glass 
is  less  liable  to  breakage  and  is  freer  from  discoloration 
and  flaws.    In  the  long  run  it  is  cheaper. 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  a  few  frames  of  unfinished 
wood  to  be  used  for  special  features.  Get  these  made 
of  two  by  four  joist  with  mortise  and  tenon  joints  and 
give  them  no  finishing  other  than  a  coat  or  two  of  shellac. 
For  a  rural  drama  have  these  covered  with  birch  bark, 
autumn  leaves,  branches  of  fir  or  ferns.  For  a  patriotic 
subject  the  tricolor  can  be  used.  Run  a  painted  sign 
about  the  stars  you  play  and  decorate  the  frame  with 
post  cards  of  the  players,  clippings  from  the  papers  or 
any  similar  material. 

If  you  are  at  all  inventive  it  will  be  handy  to  have  these 
few  frames  that  you  can  drive  tacks  into  without  feeling 
that  you  are  ruining  a  good  frame.  It  would  be  well 
to  also  have  similar  frames  to  fit  over  the  three  sheet 
boards  mentioned  in  the  next  paragraph.  Anything  that 
is  different  from  the  ordinary  will  attract  attention,  and 
with  these  frames  you  can  woi1<  many  ingenious  schemes. 

At  each  side  of  the  entrance,  where  practicable,  have 
a  board  for  pasting  up  three  sheets.  If  it  can  be  ar- 
ranged, these  should  be  curved  to  about  the  eighth  part 
of  a  circle.  Where  this  cannot  be  done  it  is  better  to  have 
the  boards  at  an  angle  of  45  degrees  to  the  lobby  rather 
than  facing  the  street.  If  you  can  afford  metal  boards 
the  curved  surface  is  a  simple  matter,  and  the  rounded 
board  looks  more  elegant  and  finished. 

The  frames  may  stand  on  easels  where  there  is  plenty 
of  space.  A  railing  may  be  erected  in  front  of  the  ticket 
window  and  some  frames  hung  on  this,  though  the  railing 
should  not  be  very  wide,  since  it  is  fatal  to  impede  the 
approach  to  the  window. 


12  PICTURE    THEATRE    ADVERTISING 

Nothing  should  ever  be  done  to  block  or  even  to  suggest 
the  blocking  of  the  ticket  v^rindow.  Have  the  way  clear 
and  make  it  as  easy  as  possible  to  approach  the  cashier. 
If  your  lobby  is  a  deep  one,  keep  the  box  at  the  rear. 
The  prospect  who  wanders  in  to  look  at  the  pictorial  dis- 
play, may  buy  a  ticket  and  enter,  but  if  he  has  to  turn 
back  almost  to  the  sidewalk,  he  is  likely  to  keep  on  going 
until  he  reaches  the  street. 

The  principle  is  much  the  same  as  that  which  leads  the 
shrewd  merchant  to  angle  his  windows  and  keep  the 
greater  part  of  his  display  in  an  angled  recess  that  leads 
to  the  entrance,  funnel-wise.  A  person  interested  in  the 
goods  is  led  up  to  the  very  door.  In  the  same  way,  with 
a  deep  lobby,  it  is  best  to  have  the  most  interesting  dis- 
play and  the  ticket  box  at  the  rear  to  coax  the  possible 
patron  in. 

The  three  sheet  board  may  be  used  to  give  the  full  daily 
program  if  you  have  some  one  in  your  employ  who  can 
do  neat  lettering,  but  crude  brush  work  is  worse  than  no 
announcement  at  all.  There  are  now  to  be  had  sets  of 
stencils  and  stencil  forms  to  aid  those  who  cannot  handle 
a  brush  well.  Many  handsome  partly-printed  posters 
may  be  had  for  this  work  in  addition  to  strips  or  stream- 
ers to  be  used  in  combination.  If  this  material  is  em- 
ployed, avoid  the  hackneyed  and  ineffective  catch  lines 
such  as  "Great  show  today,"  "Always  the  best  show  in 
town,"  "Three  great  reels  today,"  and  similar  trite 
phrases. 

Such  lines  as  the  above  have  absolutely  no  pulling 
power  whatever.  Be  definite  and  specific  in  all  your  ad- 
vertising, but  most  particularly  in  the  lobby.  Do  not 
announce  "A  splendidly  varied  program."  Tell  what  the 
program  is  and  in  what  manner  it  is  varied.  Give  titles 
and  brands  and  name  the  stars.  But  do  not  try  to  tell 
too  much  on  any  one  bill.  Better  a  single  line  that  is 
read  than  a  hundred  words  that  are  not.  Your  lobby 
is  to  attract  the  stranger.  You  must  get  him  as  he  passes. 
He  will  not  stop  to  read  wordy  announcements.  A  single 
good  line  he  cannot  help  seeing;  a  paragraph  is  lost. 

In  addition  to  the  posters,  or  even  in  preference  to 


THE   LOBBY    AS   AX    ADVERTISEMENT     '       13 

them,  if  space  is  limited,  have  frames  of  photographs  oF 
the  players.  Some  of  the  stars  are  of  greater  importance 
to  picture  playgoers  than  the  plays  in  which  they  appear 
and  with  a  well  known  player  it  is  better  to  say: 

JUNE  JONES 

TODAY 

IN 

HER  MOTHER'S  PET 

than  to  announce 

HER  MOTHER'S  PET 

WITH 

JUNE  JONES 

No  one  knows  of  "Her  Mother's  Pet."  All  know  or 
have  heard  of  Miss  Jones. 

Catering  to  the  publicity  of  the  players,  the  firms  manu- 
facturing advertising  material  for  picture  theatres  offer 
all  sorts  of  portrait  work,  ranging  from  cheap  post  cards 
to  oil  paintings  and  transparencies  on  glass.  These  latter 
are  particularly  good  for  the  rear  of  dark  lobbies,  for  they 
can  be  illuminated,  and  not  only  stand  out  strongly  but 
will  help  to  light  up.  Where  paintings  are  used,  it  is  well 
to  put  them  in  shadow  boxes  with  reflectors  above.  If 
it  can  be  afforded,  it  is  well  to  have  a  selection  of  paint- 
ings and  vary  the  display.  A  lobby  eternally  the  same 
will  attract  no  attention  whatever  save  from  a  newcomer. 

A  useful  device  for  the  front  of  the  lobby,  particularly 
where  the  performance  runs  continuously,  or  where 
more  than  one  performance  a  night  is  given  is  a  black- 
board with  white  clock  faces  painted  on,  provided  with 
movable  hands.  Above  each  dial  leave  a  space  in  which 
may  be  lettered  the  title  of  an  attraction,  and  just  below 


14  PICTURE    THEATRE    ADVERTISING 

the  title  space,  permanently  letter  "Next  showing  al." 
As  soon  as  a  feature  has  been  run,  change  the  clock  to 
the  next  hour  of  performance. 

If  you  are  in  a  small  town  or  conduct  a  neighborhood 
theatre,  a  bulletin  board  can  be  made  a  most  valuable 
adjunct.  This  is  best  set  on  the  wall  of  the  lobby  either 
to  the  rear  or  at  the  entrance  side.  It  should  be  one  or 
more  sections  of  shallow  box  frame  with  a  glazed  front. 
The  back  should  be  soft  pine  either  painted  or  cloth 
covered,  a  black,  dark  green  or  dark  blue  being  employed. 
On  this  board  post  bulletins  from  the  manufacturers, 
clippings  from  the  trade  press  or  other  matters  of  in- 
terest, using  for  the  purpose  thumb  tacks,  push-pins  or 
"map"  pins,  which  are  the  tiny  push-pins  with  colored 
heads. 

Make  it  a  point  to  change  a  part  of  the  material  every 
day.  Make  the  announcements  snappy  and  interesting 
and  the  fans  will  drop  around  just  to  see  what  you  have 
to  say.  Typewrite  your  special  announcements  on  dead 
white  (unglazed)  paper  and  using  a  black  ribbon.  At  a 
very  light  charge  you  can  have  printed  up  sheets  about 
letter  size  or  both  letter  and  note  size.  Heid  these  in 
large  type  "Tips  for  today,"  "Bijou  Briefs,"  "William 

Henry  says ,"  or  some  eye-catching  line.    In  ordering 

these  sheets  remember  that  the  common  "mill"  paper  will 
be  better  than  the  most  expensive  surfaced  bond  and  will 
cost  much  less. 

Practise  making  your  bulletin  crisp  and  pertinent.  Seek 
to  rouse  curiosity  and  make  the  reader  desire  to  see  the 
film.    Do  not,  for  example,  say: 

CAUGHT  IN  THE  PANTRY 

is  one  of  the  best  comedies  we  have 
shown  in  some  time.  It  abounds  in 
ludicrous  incident  and  is  crowded  with 
laughs. 

There  is  nothing  in  such  a  statement  to  arouse  curiosity 


THE    LOBBY   AS    AN    ADVERTISEMENT  IS 

or  give  one  a  desire  to  see  the  film.     On  the  contrary  if 
you  isay: 

CAUGHT  IN  THE  PANTRY 
Suggests  that  Willie  has  been  after 
■Mother's  jam  again,  but  this  is  not  that 
sort  of  story  at  all.  We  are  not  going 
to  spoil  the  surprise  for  you,  but  we'll 
tell  you  this  much : 

It  is  Mother  herself 

who  gets  caught  in  the  pantry  and 

Whisper 

DEACON  JONES  IS  IN  THERE  WITH  HER 

people  will  want  to  go  in  and  find  out  what  Deacon  Jones 

was  up  to. 

Properly  done,  you  can  make  your  bul'etin  work  hard 
for  you,  but  you  must  be  alert  to  keep  things  going. 
Post  up  items  about  favorite  players,  bits  of  gossip  about 
the  coming  attractions.  See  that  the  board  is  well  lighted ; 
preferably  from  above,  and  of  a  proper  height  so  that 
the  young  people  can  read  it  and  yet  not  require  older 
persons  to  stoop. 

In  some  sections,  where  there  is  little  or  no  street 
traffic,  it  is  a  mistake  to  use  much  lobby  display.  Litho- 
graphs, photographs  and  the  rest,  may  help  confirm  the 
fans  in  their  fandom,  but  will  make  no  new  business. 
One  very  efifective  lobby  in  a  suburb  has  only  two  one 
sheets  on  either  side  of  the  outer  wall.  For  the  rest  the 
proprietor  trusts  to  the  lobby  itself.  The  house  stands 
apart  on  a  bleak  street  and  the  invitation  comes  from  the 
illumination  within  streaming  out  into  the  darkness  to 
make  the  patron  welcome.  The  lobby  is  glazed  in  and, 
save  for  two  flaming  arcs,  all  of  the  light  is  back  of  the 
glass.  The  house  does  a  big  business  where  another,  a 
couple  of  blocks  away,  with  the  ticket  ofifice  giving  directly 
on  the  street  and  with  no  shelter  whatever,  changes  hands 
about  three  times  each  season.  The  one  is  inviting  and 
suggestive  of  coziness.  The  other  is  as  bleak  and  un- 
inviting as  the  street  itself. 

In  traveled  sections  the  use  of  lithographs  in  modera- 
tion will  help,  but  these  must  be  backed  up  with  some 


16  PICTURE    THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

attention-compelling  feature,  news  bulletins,  war  maps, 
or  anything  of  that  nature  that  will  appeal  to  the  man 
not  greatly  interested  in  pictures.  These  will  get  his 
attention  and  he  cannot  help  seeing  your  own  matter  as 
well.  Where  the  projection  room  is  above  the  ticket 
box,  a  glass  front  permitting  the  operator  to  be  seen  at 
work  will  be  a  novel  attraction,  as  will  anything  in  motion. 

Motion  more  than  doubles  the  value  of  an  advertise- 
ment. The  flashing  electric  sign  is  better  than  the  fixed 
sign  and  even  the  most  crude  device  will  give  effect.  If 
a  ventilating  fan  discharges  into  the  lobby,  a  few  gay 
colored  ribbons  will  call  attention  to  a  sign  that  announces 
that  the  air  is  changed  every  two  minutes,  where  the 
sign  alone  would  never  be  noticed.  Toy  balloons  may 
be  substituted  for  the  ribbons,  or  a  small  flag  can  be 
put  in. 

Much  can  be  done  with  air  piped  into  the  lobby.  Per- 
haps some  lithograph  shows  a  woman  with  fluttering 
skirts  standing  on  a  rock.  Give  her  a  skirt  of  chifiFon, 
pipe  the  air  to  the  side  of  the  frame,  and  every  passerby 
will  stop  and  look.  The  idea  is  capable  of  endless  varia- 
tion. 

For  a  time  there  was  more  or  less  of  a  run  on  mechani- 
cal devices.  These  were  generally  used  above  the  lobby, 
and  we  had  fire  engines  with  galloping  horses  and  clang- 
ing bells,  battlefields  with  dying  soldiers  going  through 
their  death  agonies  at  every  turn  of  the  pulley,  and  much 
more  on  the  same  lines.  These  worked  well  with  the 
crudely  sensational  features,  but  they  have  small  place 
in  the  better  houses. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  are  many  features  that  lend 
themselves  to  mechanical  display.  The  Kalem  trade 
mark,  with  its  rayed  border,  may  be  made  to  revolve,  the 
Lubin  bell  may  ring  or,  for  more  elaborate  displays,  a 
large  stand  may  be  made  into  a  cut-out  and  a  forge 
scene,  for  instance,  be  provided  with  an  electric  glow  and 
chififon  flames. 

If  you  can  fake  scenery,  dress  dolls  and  pose  them  in 
scenes  from  some  coming  feature  or  arrange  a  tableau 
float  in  miniature.    Crepe  paper  and  paste  do  as  well  as 


THE    LOBBY   AS   AN    ADVERTISEMENT 


17 


cloth  and  needle  and  thread  for  a  display  to  be  used  only 
for  a  few  days. 

Living  figures  in  the  lobby  work  well,  particularly  in 
the  "downtown"  houses ;  a  sentry  for  a  war  picture,  a 
Roman  senator  for  a  classical  subject,  a  negro  for  a 
southern  story,  or  something  of  that  sort. 

One  great  point  to  be  observed  is  not  to  give  anything 
that  keeps  the  crowd  in  front  of  the  house.  Either  get 
them  in  or  get  them  away  from  the  house.  All  displays 
should  be  something  that  can  quickly  be  seen.  Nothing 
should  run  more  than  thirty  seconds  without  a  .repeat. 

Odd  effects  may  be 
gained  through  a  com- 
bination of  lithographs 
and  other  material. 
Figure  2  shows  a 
scheme  used  for 
"Mother's  Roses."  The 
basis  of  the  display  is  a 
lithograph  of  the  sub- 
ject. This  is  cut  apart 
and  rearranged  and  the 
background  decorated 
with  natural  flowers 
and  ferns.  The  display 
was  set  into  a  shallow 
box  with  a  glass  front, 
partly  to  keep  out  the 
dust  but  more  to  insure 
the  display  not  being 
disturbed  by  meddling 
fingers.  Flags,  bunting 
or  other  draperies  may 
be  used  instead  of  flow- 
ers with  excellent  ef- 
f  e  c  t,  the  characters 
may  be  provided  with 
crepe  paper  clothes,  or  any  similar  scheme  may  be  em- 
ployed. Anything  out  of  the  ordinary  will  serve  to  attract 
attention,  but  care  must  be  taken  to  keep  the  displays 


Figure    2. — Natural    flowers    and 
lithograph  in  combination. 


18  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

varied  and  never  to  repeat  an  idea  too  soon.  If  you 
have  a  fixed-up  poster  every  week,  you  will  run  out  of 
ideas,  grow  tiresome  and  the  device  will  no  longer  attract. 

A  mirror,  hung  in  a  good  light,  will  always  attract 
women  and  may  help  with  the  matinee  business.  The 
mirror  should  not  be  frankly  for  feminine  use,  but  should 
suggest  that  it  is  a  part  of  the  decorative  scheme.  The 
so-called  Magic  Mirror  is  sometimes  used.  This  is  a 
lightly  silvered  glass  on  the  back  of  which  is  painted 
some  sign.  It  is  set  into  a  box  housing  a  flashing  lamp. 
When  the  current  is  on,  the  light  will  shine  through  with 
a  rather  startling  effect  if  one  does  not  know  the  trick. 
By  putting  the  advertising  matter  on  a  second  sheet  of 
glass,  the  sign  may  be  changed  as  often  as  desired. 

In  the  general  decorative  scheme  the  effect  should  be 
light  and  airy,  but  not  too  light.  Pure  white  saves  light, 
but  it  requires  frequent  touching  up  and  always  it  looks 
cold  and  hard.  It  is  better  to  use  one  of  the  warmer 
tints,  a  pink  in  preference  to  a  blue,  but  remember  that 
"pink"  is  not  a  bright  red.  A  vivid  color  should  be 
avoided  and  no  more  used  than  will  warm  the  white 
lead.  The  trim  should  be  white,  if  there  is  not  too  much 
of  it,  or  the  trim  may  be  worked  in  a  darker  shade  of  the 
tint,  old  rose  on  light  rose,  or  some  similar  combination. 
Contrasting  colors  should  be  used  only  under  expert 
advice. 

If  it  is  possible,  provide  doors  for  stormy  periods.  A 
shallow  lobby,  drenched  with  water  and  spattered  with 
mud  will  not  suggest  that  comfort  is  to  be  had  within. 
The  more  open  the  effect  on  clear  days,  the  better,  but 
make  some  provision  against  inclement  days. 

The  lobby  should  be  well  lighted,  but  light  and  not 
lights  should  be  the  objective  point.  Indirect  lighting 
is  better  than  the  naked  globes.  Where  lights  are  ex- 
posed they  should  be  of  frosted  glass.  Rarely  should 
colored  bulbs  find  a  place  in  the  decorative  scheme. 

In  summer  aim  to  have  the  lobby  look  cool  and  airy, 
and  in  winter  make  it  warm  and  cozy. 

For  the  floor  tile  or  mosaic  is  best,  but  provide  rubber 


THE   LOBBY   AS   AN   ADVERTISEMENT  19 

runners  for  wet  days,  both  to  keep  the  place  clean  and 
to  prevent  falls. 

All  persons  who  show  in  the  lobby  should  be  in  uni- 
form, with  the  exception  of  the  ticket  seller,  if  a  woman. 
Even  here  an  adaptation  of  the  smart  mess  uniform  of 
the  British  army  will  be  effective.  In  all  events  she  should 
be  quietly  and  inconspicuously  dressed  if  not  in  uniform. 

Outside  the  lobby  there  should  be  an  electric  sign  or 
one  or  two  flaming  arcs,  but  not  both.  The  transparency 
sign  is  seldom  to  be  recommended.  Unless  you  can  show 
your  name  in  letters  of  light  it  would  be  better  to  use 
a  painted  sign  and  light  with  the  flaming  arcs. 

If  a  light  sign  is  used,  it  is  better  to  have  the  letters 
in  fixed  lights  and  the  movement  in  the  border.  If  there 
is  no  border  then  flash  the  name  letter  by  letter.  It  should 
be  remembered  that  the  sise  of  the  letter  and  not  the 
intensity  of  the  light  determines  the  distance  at  which 
the  sign  may  be  read.  The  light  should  be  proportioned 
to  the  size  of  the  letter ;  a  two-foot  letter  taking  a  stronger 
light  than  one  only  twelve  inches  high.  The  stronger 
the  light  the  greater  the  distance  at  which  it  may  be  seen, 
but  if  the  letters  are  small  the  sign  will  be  seen  as  a 
mass  of  light;  the  letters  cannot  be  made  out.  It  is 
seldom  wise  to  go  above  eight  candle  power.  Much 
smaller  lamps  may  be  used  with  good  eflfect. 

Above  all  try  to  have  your  lobby  trim  and  neat.  If  you 
feel  that  you  must  use  banners  stretch  them  on  a  frame 
work  instead  of  tying  them  by  strings  to  four  nails.  The 
average  banner  is  as  offensive  to  the  eye  as  a  woman's 
draggled  skirts  on  a  stormy  day.  A  light  framework  of 
quarter-inch  piping  slightly  larger  than  the  banner,  with 
turn-buckles  at  the  corners  to  take  up  any  slack,  will  help 
much. 

Have  the  lobby  swept  frequently,  with  a  soft  push 
broom.  On  windy  days  have  the  papers  that  blow  in 
picked  up  promptly.  On  wet  days  have  the  muddy 
water  squeegeed  off  every  half  hour,  when  the  house  is 
coming  in  and  just  before  the  end  of  each  film  subject, 
as  the  performance  draws  to  a  close. 

Have  all  paint  work  washed  down  once  a  week,  at  least. 


20  PICTURE    THEATRE    ADVERTISING 

Have  the  lobby  done  in  oil  instead  of  kalsomine  that  this 
may  be  done.  Touch  up  all  scratched  places.  Sometimes 
a  can  of  paint  is  better  as  an  advertisement  than  a  column 
in  the  paper.  Keep  it  looking  fresh.  Have  the  glass  in 
the  ticket  box  not  only  clean  but  well  polished.  Have  all 
brass  work  polished  as  often  as  it  needs  it,  but  frames 
and  other  metal  parts  not  much  handled  can  be  enameled 
to  better  advantage. 

Insist  that  lithographs  be  put  in  the  frames  smoothly. 
H  you  stencil  your  front  boards,  use  an  ink  that  will  not 
run  on  rainy  days.  That  is  just  the  time  when  you  want 
your  lobby  to  be  in  strong  contrast  to  the  dreary  aspect 
of  the  rest  of  the  world. 

It  is  easy,  once  you  are  fixed  right,  to  keep  the  lobby 
looking  right.  By  watching  things  it  is  easy  to  have 
your  old  house  looking  as  fresh  as  the  day  it  was  opened. 
A  little  work  each  day  is  cheaper  than  a  week's  renova- 
tion once  a  year. 

You  would  not  go  to  a  cheap  lodging  house  if  the 
prices  were  the  same  as  at  the  best  hotel.  You  would 
select  the  most  inviting  house  you  could  find.  Let  your 
theatre  be  the  place  that  a  stranger  would  select  as  the 
best.    It  is  easy  once  you  train  your  people  to  help  you. 


CHAPTER  III. 
ADVERTISING  FEATURES  FOR  THE  HOUSE 

Importance  of  thorough  cleanliness — ^water  spray  for 
summer  days — standing  room  an  advertisement 
— rooms  for  crying  babies — check  room  features 
— calling  out  physicians — advertise  the  house  as 
well  as  the  show. 

Your  lobby  is  what  attracts  new  patronage  to  the  house, 
but  it  is  the  auditorium  that  must  be  depended  upon  to 
hold  them.  The  auditorium  should  not  only  live  up  to  the 
promise  of  the  lobby,  but  even  do  a  little  better  than  that. 
It  has  been  said  that  it  does  not  pay  to  make  your  patrons 


ADVERTISING   FEATURES    OF   THE    HOUSE       21 

too  comfortable  or  they  will  stay  too  long.  In  a  sense, 
and  only  in  a  limited  sense,  this  may  hold  good  of  the 
continuous  house  in  a  business  district,  but  it  must  be 
remembered  that  the  uncomfortable  chair  that  keeps  a 
man  from  staying  too  long  will  also  operate  to  prevent 
his  return.  Make  your  house  seem  like  home  to  the 
patrons,  and  they  will  pass  other  houses  less  competently 
conducted  to  visit  with  you.  A  man  or  woman  is  not 
required  to  go  to  the  theatre  nor  to  any  particular  theatre. 
Make  your  house  the  one  they  ivant  to  visit. 

In  the  order  of  their  importance  the  physical  factors 
of  the  house  interior  are 

Cleanliness. 

Good  air. 

Comfort. 

Convenience. 

In  a  sense  good  air  is  the  most  important,  but  good  air 
is  not  possible  in  a  dirty  house,  so  cleanliness  is  ranked 
first  of  all. 

Cleaning  must  be  methodical  and  systematic.  It  is  not 
sufficient  that  the  usher  sweep  the  house  out  with  a  broom 
each  morning  that  he  comes  down  early  enough.  A  broom 
removes  some  of  the  dirt  and  throws  the  rest  into  the  air 
to  settle  down  again.  Work  by  system  and  insist  that 
the  system  be  adhered  to. 

As  soon  as  the  house  closes  for  the  night  have  tlu 
entire  place  swept  by  push  brooms,  if  you  have  no 
vacuum  cleaner.  A  corn  broom  is  dust-creating  and 
ineffective.  Have  the  house  scrubbed  with  water  and 
soap.  Use  some  odorless  disinfectant,  but  be  certain  that 
it  is  reliable.  Carbolic  acid  is  the  best  disinfectant,  but 
you  do  not  want  to  have  your  house  smelling  like  a 
livery  stable.  Keep  the  fans  going  during  this  time  to 
carry  out  as  much  dust  as  possible.  If  you  have  a  low- 
power  exhaust  fan,  cut  down  to  the  lowest  speed  and 
keep  it  going  all  night.  You  may  truthfully  advertise 
that  your  system  of  ventilation  changes  the  air  in  the 
house  every  two  minutes,  but  it  is  not  sufficient  merely 
to  change  the  air.  Wash  the  bouse  with  air  as  well  as 
water.     If  you  run  a  high-speed  fan  and  do  not  want 


22  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

to  keep  it  going  too  long  rig  up  a  cut-off  with  a  cheap 
alarm  clock  and  an  easy  working  knife  switch.  A  cord 
winds  on  the  alarm  handle  when  the  proper  time  arrives 
and  cuts  out  the  switch. 

In  the  morning  have  the  floor  gone  over  again  and 
after  an  interval  dust  off  the  seats  with  a  dustless  duster. 
You  can  make  these  cheeply,  but  he  careful  not  to  gst 
too  much  oil  on  the  cloth,  else  presently  you  will  have 
the  seats  soaked  with  just  enough  oil  to  raise  havoc  with 
clothes,  and  the  woman  who  has  to  send  a  dress  to  the 
laundry  or  the  cleaner  each  time  she  visits  your  theatre 
is  going  to  be  a  very  poor  advertisement  for  the  house. 
The  seats  must  be  wiped,  not  merely  slapped  at  with  the 
cloth.  If  you  have  a  vacuum  cleaner,  use  the  dusting 
attachment  and  there  will  be  no  trouble. 

Pay  particular  attention  to  the  screen.  Most  screens 
have  a  slightly  rough  surface,  providing  thousands  of 
little  shelves  on  which  the  dust  may  lie.  This  dust  may 
not  be  apparent  at  a  glance,  but  each  particle  of  dust  will 
absorb  a  part  of  the  light,  and  long  before  the  screen 
becomes  dirty  enough  to  seem  to  need  attention,  your 
picture  will  be  going  bad  and  you  will  perhaps  blame 
the  operator  or  the  machine. 

Have  an  inspection  each  morning  just  before  the  house 
is  opened.  If  you  cannot  attend  to  this  matter  yourself 
delegate  the  duty  to  someone  you  can  trust.  See  that  the 
hat  racks  under  the  seats  are  all  in  place.  Have  extra 
racks  to  replace  those  bent  or  twisted.  Have  plenty  of 
the  proper  sized  screws.  See  that  all  screws  are  driven 
home  so  that  there  is  no  play  when  the  rack  is  tested. 

See  that  the  floor  is  clean,  the  seats  properly  dusted, 
that  corners  have  been  looked  after  and  no  dust  has 
collected  in  the  crevices  of  the  draperies.  Remove  all 
chewing  gum  from  beneath  the  seats  and  under  the  arms. 
A  dull  putty  knife  is  best  for  this.  Not  even  the  ori2;inal 
owner  will  care  for  last  night's  chewing  gum.  Watch 
for  gum  on  the  floor,  too.    Have  it  taken  up  at  once. 

Once  a  month  have  a  general  inspection.  Throw  the 
lights  on,  start  the  machine  and  sit  in  various  parts  of  the 
house.     Test   the   seats    for    loose    screws,    for   broken 


ADVERTISING  FEATURES   OF   THE   HOUSE       23 

springs,  if  they  are  upholstered,  for  cracked  backs  and 
projecting  nails.  See  how  the  picture  looks  from,  that 
part  of  the  house.  See  if  any  vagrant  light  beam  annoys 
the  patron.  The  little  things  sometimes  seem  too  unim- 
portant to  be  reported  and  yet  they  are  the  things  that 
annoy  the  patron  most. 

If  the  house  runs  continuously,  train  your  ushers  to 
keep  paper  and  other  litter  picked  up.  Provide  them 
with  brushes  and  pans.  A  bench  brush  with  the  handle 
sawed  off  and  a  hole  bored  for  a  short  length  of  broom 
handle  is  better  than  the  regular  broom  for  this  emerg- 
ency work.  The  boys  should  be  instructed  not  to  annoy 
patrons,  but  to  clear  only  when  the  row*  is  empty  and 
they  do  not  have  to  pass  a  spectator.  Also  provide  each 
usher  with  a  dust  cloth  small  enough  to  be  carried  in  his 
pocket  inconspicuously. 

Back  up  these  precautions  with  a  proper  system  of 
ventilation.  If  you  build,  see  that  the  architect  provides 
properly  for  ducts.  If  you  have  a  house  that  has  been 
wrongly  built  do  the  best  you  can.  Run  a  flue  from  above 
the  roof  to  the  floor  level  or,  better  still,  down  to  the 
cellar.  Let  it  have  a  cross  section  slightly  larger  than  the 
area  of  the  fan  itself.  Do  not  trust  to  a  fan  to  pull  air 
down  a  narrow  duct  twice  as  fast  as  it  delivers  it  into 
the  house.  Have  an  ample  capacity  and  you'll  have 
plenty  of  air. 

Have  the  pipe  so  arranged  that  you  can  slip  into  the 
shaft  a  wood  or  wire  frame  covered  with  cheese  cloth. 
You'll  be  surprised  at  the  dirt  you  will  pick  out.  Have 
several  frames  and  change  them  frequently,  discharging 
the  dust  into  the  open  air.  In  summer,  if  the  screens  can 
be  kept  moistened,  they  will  help  to  cool  the  air. 

Working  on  the  same  plan,  some  Exhibitors  construct 
rock  work  foundations,  one  having  the  air  supply  forced 
through  a  thin  curtain  of  water  that  forms  part  of  an 
ornamental  fall  beside  the  screen.  Here  the  visual  effect 
adds  to  the  practical  result  of  evaporation. 

Have  an  exhaust  fan  of  capacity  equal  to  the  intake 
and  try  to  arrange  to  pull  the  air  from  both  front  and 
back  of  the  house  instead  of  from  one  vent  only.    A  large 


24  PICTURE    THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

fan,  running  at  low  speed  will  pull  more  air  and  require 
less  current  than  a  smaller,  high-speed  fan. 

Ozone  machines  are  useful,  particularly  in  winter,  in 
giving  life  to  the  air,  but  neither  these  nor  small  house 
fans  can  replace  the  need  for  proper  ventilation.  The 
atomizer  that  covers  foul  air  with  a  heavy  perfume 
covers  the  stench  but  does  not  remove  the  danger,  and 
audiences  are  now  appreciative  of  that  fact. 

Make  a  brag  about  the  excellence  of  your  system  and 
have  it  something  to  brag  about.  Send  out  a  form  letter 
to  your  patrons.  Tell  about  it  in  the  program  or  on  the 
screen.  There  is  no  sense  in  not  claiming  credit  for 
what  you  do.    Tell  about  it  and  tell  it  clearly. 

Be  careful  of  your  seating.  In  some  cities  there  exist 
regulations  as  to  spacing,  but  do  not  wait  to  be  regulated. 
Have  your  seats  at  least  thirty-two  inches  from  back  to 
back,  even  if  this  does  reduce  the  capacity.  It  is  better 
to  have  more  patrons  than  seats  rather  than  more  seats 
than  patrons  and,  up  to  a  certain  point,  standees  are  a 
positive  advertisement.  People  want  to  go  where  the 
crowd  goes.  If  there  is  always  a  crowd  at  your  house, 
it  will  be  argued  that  there  is  a  reason.  Others  will  want 
to  come  because  it  must  be  a  better  program  than  others 
offer. 

Many  little  conveniences  will  make  for  business  and 
advertisement.  A  check  room  for  baby  carriages  where 
space  can  be  afforded,  is  a  help.  Even  checking  these 
at  the  door  will  do  if  police  regulations  will  permit  the 
blocking  of  the  sidewalk,  but  never  run  them  up  the  fire 
alley  to  get  them  out  of  the  way. 

On  the  same  lines  is  the  sound-proof  booth  for  mothers 
with  fretful  children.  This  is  practicable  only  when 
there  is  plenty  of  space  at  command,  for  a  section  of  the 
balcony  must  be  housed  in  with  double  glass  behind  which 
the  mother  may  quiet  her  child  and  still  not  miss  the 
performance.  Some  of  the  larger  theatres  now  have 
creches  disguised  as  "Toy  rooms,"  "Babyland,"  or  some 
similar  fanciful  designation  where  mothers  may  check 
the  kiddies  and  enjoy  the  performance  in  comfort.  This 
is  possible  only  where  the  business  thus  added  will  pay 


ADVERTISING   FEATURES    OF   THE    HOUSE       25 

the  cost  of  an  experienced  matron,  but  where  it  can  be 
done  it  will  be  a  distinct  -money  maker. 

Where  babies  are  checked  a  slide  should  be  prepared 
reading: 

BABY 

No. 

Wants  it's  Mamma. 
This   is   permanently   lettered   save    for   a  space   to   the 
right  of  "No.,"  which  is  opaqued  that  the  number  may 
be  scratched  in. 

But  the  baby  room  should  not  be  the  general  retiring 
room  for  women.  This  latter  should  be  a  distinct  and 
separate  apartment.  In  the  shopping  districts,  particu- 
larly, it  should  be  generously  provided  with  pins,  needles 
and  thread,  safety  pins,  hat  and  hair  pins,  and  face 
powder. 

Run  a  slide  now  and  then  calling  attention  to  the  fact 
that  these  comforts  are  provided,  as  in  Figure  3.  One 
woman  looking  for  a  dropped  hat  pin  can  throw  a  hun- 
dred people  into  disorder.  She  will  appreciate  a  new 
pin  and  relief  from  her  embarassment. 

Don't   Fish 
for  that  dropped  hat  pin.    Plenty  more 
in  the  retiring  room. 
No  charge.  No  tips. 

Figure  3.: — Suggestion  for  a  slide. 
If  space  permits  there  should  be  a  pretty  writing  desk 
well  stocked  with  paper,  correspondence  cards  and  en- 
velopes.   Have  all  of  the  paper  printed  or  stamped  some- 
what similar  to  the  form  in  Figure  4.    It  is  not  a  waste 

Written  from  the  comfort  room  of  the 

STRAND    THEATRE 

BROADWAY  AT  MYRTLE  STREET 

SOMEWHERE,  N.  Y. 

Figure  4. — Suggestion  for  letter  heading. 

of  money  to  provide  this  stationery.  It  is  an  advertise- 
ment circulated  at  the  expense  of  your  patrons  to  ad- 
dresses supplied  by  them.    Some  of  the  letters,  of  course, 


26  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

will  go  too  far  out  of  town  to  do  you  any  good,  but  a 
sufficient  number  will  stay  within  the  house  radius  to 
make  this  scheme  profitable  for  a  house  in  the  shopping 
centre. 

Post  cards,  with  pictures  of  the  house,  should  be  freely 
supplied  and  a  neat  notice  should  announce  that  stamps 
may  be  had  at  the  box  office.  If  you  use  a  glass  plate 
over  the  desk  slip  a  herald  for  a  coming  attraction  under- 
neath the  glass. 

A  parcel  and  coat  room  is  almost  a  necessity.  If  the 
house  is  downtown,  it  is  a  capital  plan  to  have  the  room 
open  both  on  the  lobby  and  into  the  foyer.  Make  is  plain 
that  parcels  may  be  checked  at  the  lobby  window  to  be 
taken  up  without  charge  on  passing  out  through  the 
foyer,  but  that  a  charge  will  be  made  if  the  parcel  is 
both  entered  and  claimed  through  the  lobby  window. 
Then  the  women  can  check  their  parcels  as  they  acquire 


PLEASE    WRITE     IN      YOUR     NAME     AND     HAND 
CARD    TO    USHER    ON    ENTERING 


DR. 


ROW  SEAT  SECTION 


Figure  5. — Card  for  physician. 

them,  returning  later  to  witness  the  performance  and 
claim  the  packages  on  the  way  out.  No  charge  should 
be  made  for  checking  parcels  for  house  patrons  and  no 
tips  should  be  permitted.  It  will  be  well  not  to  charge 
even  for  outside  service,  for  any  such  service  places  the 
recipient  under  an  obligation  to  you  that  may  be  returned 
in  patronage. 

In  any  event  keep  your  house  free  from  the  tip  evil. 
Ask  your  patrons  to  help  you  by  not  giving  tips.  Ask 
your   friends  to  keep  their  eyes  open.     Do  not  permit 


ADVERTISING   FEATURES    OF   THE    HOUSE       27 

some  small  boy  to  nullify  your  efforts  by  acting  like  a 
Captain  Kidd  in  miniature. 

One  convenience  that  is  much  appreciated  is  a  regis- 
tration for  physicians  and  others  who  may  be  called  out 
suddenly.  Some  houses  run  scratch  slides  for  these 
emergency  calls,  and  many  even  stop  the  running  of  the 
subject  to  flash  these  notices.  Some  physicians,  particu- 
larly newcomers,  may  abuse  this  privilege  by  seeking 
to  make  the  screen  an  advertisment  for  their  business. 
It  is  better  to  ask  them  to  fill  out  a  card  similar  to  Figure 
5.  This  is  given  out  by  the  ticket  seller  and  is  to  be 
filled  in  with  the  recipient's  name  and  handed  to  the 
usher.  The  latter  marks  in  the  seat  and  returns  at  once 
to  the  box  office.  If  a  call  comes  in,  the  person  wanted 
can  be  located  immediately  and  without  disturbing  the 
audience.  Even  where  seats  are  not  reserved  it  is  better 
to  have  them  numbered  and  lettered  for  emergency. 

Next  your  pictures,  your  projection  is  of  the  utmost 
importance.  For  that  matter  a  straight  release,  properly 
run,  is  to  be  preferred  to  the  finest  feature  hurriedly  or 
improperly  projected.  Nothing  you  can  do  in  the  matters 
of  comfort  and  convenience  can  offset  improperly  pro- 
jected pictures,  and  it  would  be  better  to  drop  some  of 
the  comforts  and  divert  the  money  to  operation  if  you 
cannot  afford  both.  The  chief  furnishing  of  your  audi- 
torium should  be  a  good  operator,  then  a  proper  machine 
and  the  best  screen  you  can  afford. 

And  lastly  remember  that  your  house  is  as  well  worthy 
of  advertisement  as  your  bills.  Your  house  is  a  perman- 
ent feature.  Films  are  transient.  Take  some  of  your 
advertising  space  to  tell  about  your  house.  Make  it  a 
talking  point.  Establish  the  tradition  that  it  is  "The 
House  of  Comfort,"  and  live  up  to  that  tradition.  The 
films  are  but  a  part  of  what  you  have  to  sell.  Advertise 
all  your  features. 


28  PICTURE    THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  HOUSE  TRADE  MARKS 

Distinctive  emblems  of  great  value — may  be  seen 
where  type  cannot  be  read — design  should  be  used 
wherever  possible — patenting  trade  marks — in- 
troducing a  trade  mark. 

One  of  the  best  advertisements  a  house  can  have  is  a 
distinctive  trade  mark.  If  you  need  an  ilkistration  turn 
to  the  trade  papers  and  run  over  the  advertising  pages 
quickly.  The  eye  will  catch  the  Diamond — S  of  Selig, 
the  Beefeater  of  London  Films,  the  Vitagraph  Eagle,  the 
Lubin  Bell  and  the  Kalem  seal  where  the  names  of  com- 
panies will  not  be  noted  in  the  quick  passage  of  the  pages. 
In  the  same  way  provide  yourself  with  a  house  trade 
mark. 

It  is  not  sufficient  merely  to  have  a  mark.  Have  one 
that  is  distinctive  and  easily  recognizable.  If  you  would 
be  assured  that  the  mark  will  be  your  exclusive  property, 
have  it  patented.  It  cannot  be  copyrighted,  but  must  be 
entered  at  the  Patent  Office.  As  a  rule  you  will  find 
sufficient  protection  in  common  law. 

The  device  must  be  something  that  can  be  recognized 
as  far  as  it  can  be  seen,  for  the  value  of  the  mark  is 
found  in  this  quality  of  being  recognized  and  calling  to 
mind  the  house  where  type  cannot  be  read.  For  this 
reason  it  should  not  be  an  elaborate  sketch  but  a  design 
in  bold  outline.  The  Selig  mark,  for  example,  is  better 
than  the  Vitagraph  Eagle ;  the  latter  having  too  much 
detail  of  lines  and  hatchings.  These  either  do  not  repro- 
duce or  else  blend  into  a  single  mass  of  color  when  s?en 
at  a  little  distance. 

Napoleon  produced  an  ideal  trade  mark  in  the  N 
within  a  laurel  wreath,  but  too  many  have  followed  his 


THE    IMPORTANCE   OF    HOUSE   TRADE    MARKS  29 

example.  The  wreathed  initial  has  one  advantage  in  that 
it  can  be  reproduced  cheaply  by  the  aid  of  stock  mortised 
cuts,  but  it  does  not  stand  out  with  sufficient  distinctive- 
ness. It  is  better  to  have  something  that  cannot  be  con- 
founded with  anything  else;  something  so  unusual  that 
the  sight  of  it  at  once  suggests  the  house. 

Once  found,  the  trade  mark  should  be  used  every- 
where. It  should  be  done  in  lines  of  light  on  the  front 
of  the  house  and  reproduced  in  stone  on  the  floor  of  the 
lobby.  The  design  should  be  painted  on  the  glass  above 
the  ticket  window  and  found  on  the  collar  of  the  door- 
man's coat  and  on  the  left  breast  or  sleeve  of  the  ushers' 
uniforms.  It  should  appear  in  the  house  decoration,  in 
the  corners  of  the  screen  frame,  on  the  programs,  in 
the  advertisements,  it  should  be  rubber  stamped  on  all 
slides  and  printed  or  embossed  on  all  letter  heads.  It 
should  be  reproduced  in  cuts  of  all  sizes  for  advertising 
and,  if  possible,  should  be  used  to  border  as  well  as 
ornament  newspaper  advertising. 

Because  of  the  universal  use  to  which  it  is  put,  it 
should  not  require  a  particular  color.  The  Blue  Hen 
might  be  a  good  trade  mark,  but  a  black  outline  would 
suggest  a  Pathe  Rooster  rather  than  a  blue  hen.  Trust 
to  the  outline  alone  and  you  cannot  well  go  wrong.  Trust 
to  filling  in  or  coloring,  and  much  of  the  value  is  lost. 

Once  you  have  the  mark  established,  use  it  everywhere, 
and  the  man  who  does  not  come  to  your  house,  who  will 
not  read  your  advertising  and  who  is  not  interested  in 
pictures,  will  at  least  come  to  know  your  place,  and  in 
time  curiosity  will  induce  him  to  drop  in  and  see  what 
sort  of  a  place  you  have. 

If  you  have  started  without  a  mark  and  wish  to  intro- 
duce one,  you  can  profitably  use  a  scheme  invented  by 
George  W.  Day,  the  vaudeville  monologist,  some  years 
ago.  The  basis  of  the  idea  is  a  series  of  two  letters, 
which  can  be  reproduced  in  typewriter  type  or  written 
direct.  In  one  corner  there  should  appear  a  serial  num- 
ber to  suggest  that  each  person  has  been  numbered.  This 
should  be  put  in  in  pen  or  rubber  stamp.  It  should  not 
be  printed.    The  first  letter  reads: 


30  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

No.  536.  I  want  you  to  help  me  in  demonstrating  a 
peculiar  point  in  psychology.  In  a  day  or  two  you  will 
receive  another  letter,  with  an  enclosure.  If  you  are 
unwilling  to  assist  in  this  experiment,  destroy  the  letter 
without  looking  at  it.  If  you  are  willing  to  assist  in  this 
demonstration,  watch  for  the  second  letter. 

Wait  from  two  to  five  days  to  let  curiosity  do  its  work 
then  send  the  second  letter,  which  says : 

No.  536.  This  is  the  material  for  the  test,  but  ponder 
well.  If  you  open  the  enclosed  letter,  you  can  never 
forget  its  contents.  That  is  the  point  of  the  experiment. 
We  want  you  to  TRY  to  forget,  but  we  knoiv  you  cannot, 
try  as  you  will.  Please  report  your  success  or  failure  to 
the  address  enclosed. 

Neither  of  these  letters  has  carried  any  signature,  letter 
heading  or  other  betraying  mark.  The  second  letter 
covers  a  smaller  envelope  in  which  is  a  card  printed  in 
small  type: 

Cut  of  trade  mark  here. 
Whenever  you  think  of  motion  pictures 

think  of  this  design. 
Whenever  you  see  the  design  think  of 

the  best  motion  pictures. 
The    design    stands    for    the    Temple 

Theatre. 
The  Temple  Theatre  stands  for  the  best 

in  Motion   Pictures. 

You  CANNOT  forget.    We  challenge 

you  to. 

Please  report. 

Mr.  Day  cunningly  used  the  trade  mark  of  a  baking 

company  then  spending  seven  figure  sums  for  publicity 

and  he  got  the  advantage  of  all  of  this  work  free.     You 

will  have  to  make  your  own  trade  mark  known. 

Be  sure  that  your  mailing  list  includes  the  editor,  the 
dramatic  editor  and  staff  men  of  each  local  paper,  pro- 
fessional men  and  the  better  class  of  your  trade. 

If  desired,  the  scheme  can  be  worked  through  the  news- 
papers and  house  screen  and  program.  Announce  in  the 
paper  that  on  a  certain  day  you  shall  conduct  an  inter- 


MUSIC  AS   AN   ADVERTISEMENT  31 

esting  experiment  at  the  theatre.  Repeat  the  announce- 
ment on  your  screen  at  each  performance.  Run  this  not 
more  than  a  week,  always  announcing  a  definite  perform- 
ance. At  this  performance  run  a  slide  similar  to  the 
second  letter,  a  moment  later  the  cut  slide,  and  the  ac- 
companying reading.  The  next  morning  repeat  it  in  an 
advertisement  in  the  papers  and  as  soon  as  possible 
thereafter  start  to  use  the  mark. 

If  you  wish  to  work  very  elaborately,  get  your  trade 
mark  sign  up,  but  keep  it  veiled  and  have  the  design  set 
into  the  flooring  of  the  lobby,  but  keep  it  covered.  As  the 
sign  is  flashed  unveil  the  sign  and  uncover  the  floor. 

It  is  worth  a  little  trouble  and  expense  to  launch  the 
campaign  elaborately,  for  a  trade  mark  is  a  most  valuable 
advertisement.  Where  would  Heinz  be  without  his  57 
varieties,  or  Hughie  Jennings  without  his  "Ee-yah !'' 
Paderewski  with  a  shaven  poll,  or  Billy  Sunday  without 
his  vigorous  figures  of  speech  ?  They  are  all  trade  marks 
of  the  utmost  value  because  they  are  cleverly  done  and 
widely  known.  Take  a  little  time  to  decide  on  your  own 
mark,  that  you  may  get  the  best  you  can,  then  make  it 
known  and  keep  it  known  and  your  house  will  be  known 
in  return. 


CHAPTER  V. 

MUSIC  AS  AN  ADVERTISEMENT 

Music  makes  for  business — value  of  music  as  a  talking 
point — best  musicians  not  always  the  best  picture 
players — credit  the  house  and  not  the  leader — 
making  music  help  dull  days. 

Music — the  best  you  can  afiford — is  a  distinct  and 
valuable  advertisement.  More  than  one  house  has  been 
raised  from  failure  to  success  through  a  change  in  the 
music,  and  many  Exhibitors  have  found  that  it  pays  to 
adopt  the  Australian  idea  of  making  music  a  co-attraction 
with  the  pictures  instead  of  merely  an  accessory. 


32  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

If  you  can  get  a  good  one,  an  orchestra  is  the  best 
form  of  music,  but  there  are  very  few  really  good  or- 
chestras in  motion  picture  theatres.  In  this  sense  "good" 
means  not  alone  competent  players  but  musicians  com- 
petent to  play  the  pictures.  Above  a  certain  point  the 
skilled  musician  is  not  well  fitted  to  become  a  picture 
player.  This  does  not  mean,  of  course,  that  the  worst 
musicians  make  the  best  picture  players. 

A  really  high  class  musician,  particularly  a  leader,  is 
apt  to  regard  playing  the  pictures  as  beneath  the  dignity 
of  his  professional  standing.  He  may  consider  the  pic- 
tures to  be  of  vastly  inferior  importance  to  the  work 
of  his  band  and  will  build  a  musicianly  program  and 
adhere  to  it  throug^h  the  thunders  of  Wagner's  mightiest 
moments  disturb  the  death  bed  of  the  heroine  and  the 
lilting  measures  of  Mendelssohn's  Spring  Song  fill  the 
house  while  battle  rages.  The  picture  is  not  overdrawn. 
It  has  happened  and  is  happening  daily. 

On  the  other  hand,  an  effort  to  strictly  play  the  pictures 
with  an  orchestra  will  be  equally  futile.  The  rapid 
changes  in  the  tempo  of  the  story  would  require  an  abrupt 
shifting  of  the  selections  that  would  be  quite  as  disturb- 
ing to  the  patrons.  The  aim  should  be  to  establish  in 
the  leader's  chair  a  man  familiar  with  the  library  of  good 
music.  Let  him  see  a  rehearsal  of  the  pictures  before 
the  regular  performance  opens,  selecting  then  a  program 
that  will  be  in  general  accord  with  the  pictures  to  be 
shown,  not  playing  entire  selections  through,  but  not 
changing  with  each  shift  of  scene. 

Where  they  can  be  had,  men  who  have  played  vaude- 
ville of  burlesque  houses  are  better  suited  to  the  work 
than  men  from  the  dramatic  houses,  for  they  are  more 
used  to  quick  shifts  and  changes  and  to  "following  the 
act."  Most  orchestras  are  led  by  the  first  violin,  but  the 
Turner  and  Dahnken  houses  report  excellent  results  with 
their  leaders  at  the  drums;  these  players  having  less  to 
do.  A  system  of  lights  at  each  desk  is  employed  instead 
of  baton  signals. 

Where  possible,  the  orchestra  pit  should  be  sunken,  not 
alone  because  the  glare  of  light  on  the  white  music  sheets 


MUSIC   AS    AN    ADVERTISEMENT  33 

fights  the  screen,  but  because  music  from  an  unseen 
source  is  more  in  accord  with  the  general  idea  of  picture 
presentation. 

As  a  reward  for  playing  the  pictures  properly,  and  for 
other  practical  reasons,  a  short  selection  should  be  played 
as  a  number  between  subjects.  This  not  only  gratifies 
and  appeases  the  vanity  of  the  players,  but  it  serves  as 
a  break  between  stories,  enables  the  lights  to  be  thrown 
on  that  the  house  may  clear  without  confusion  and  resrs 
tired  eyes. 

These  musical  interludes  may  be  made  a  distinct  asset. 
Flash  a  slide  to  the  effect  that  Mr.  Chopin  will  be  glad 
to  play  request  selections.  Ask  the  patrons  to  write  the 
names  of  desired  selections  on  cards  to  be  had  at  the 
rear  of  the  house,  as  in  Figure  6. 


I  should  like  to  have  Prof.  Chopin  play 

Name    of  title 

Name   of   patron 

Address    

We  make  every  effort  to  obtain  the  de- 
sired music,  but  cannot  promise 
definitely  that  this  selection  will  be 
played. 


F"igure  6. — Request  card  for  musical  selection. 

If  the  selection  can  be  played,  notify  the  patron  by  a 
form  post  card  filled  in  with  the  address  from  the  re- 
quest card.  The  form  in  Figure  7  is  recommended.  The 
cards  should  be  filled  in  with  the  name  of  the  selection 
and  the  day  and  date.  By  assigning  request  selections  to 
dull  days,  some  extra  business  may  be  created. 

Feature  your  orchestra  in  the  advertising.  Play  them 
up,  but  before  you  start  tactfully  explain  to  "Professor 
Chopin"  that  you  are  going  to  do  some  press  work  for 
him  that  must  not  be  taken  by  him  too  seriously.  He 
is  liable  to  acquire  too  good  an  opinion  of  himself  and 


34  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

want  more  money.  In  the  same  way  it  is  better  to  fea- 
ture the  house  orchestra  than  the  leader  and  his  band. 
If  he  resigns,  or  is  dismissed,  you  still  have  the  attraction. 
Next  to  an  orchestra,  the  better  class  of  mechanical 
orchestras  are  best.  For  some  reasons  a  device  of  this 
sort  is  to  be  preferred  to  a  band,  since  the  music  is 
handled  by  one  man  and  changes  can  be  more  evenly 
made  than  when  there  are  many  players,  some  of  whom 
think  more  slowly  than  others  and  always  are  a  little 
late  in  changing  over.  Another  advantage  is  that  part 
of  the  musical  appropriation  may  be  diverted  to  paying 
for  the  instrument  and  at  the  same  time  more  money  can 
be  paid  the  operator  and  better  results  had. 


Dear  Patron, 

The    selection 

requested  by  you  will  be  played  by  Professor  Chopin 

next   We   hope  that  it  will  be 

convenient  for  you    to   be  present  on   that   day. 

The  Real  Theatre, 

(Ink  signature  here) 

Manager. 


Figure  7. — Notification  card  for  musical  selection. 

Third  in  value  comes  the  pipe  organ.  This  is  not  as 
flexible  as  the  orchestral  device,  but  on  the  other  hand 
it  can  give  the  sustained  note  that  is  the  best  form  of 
accompaniment  and  can  be  swelled  in  tonal  volume  for 
the  big  scenes.  The  best  accompaniment  is  never  intru- 
sive, and  the  aim  of  the  players  should  be  to  supplement 
the  effects  on  the  screen  instead  of  sharing  the  honors. 
•  With  all  of  these  forms  of  music  it  is  possible  to  work 
direct  advertising.  Give  morning  musicales  or  Sunday 
afternoon  performances  in  towns  where  pictures  may  not 
be  run  on  that  day.  Concerts  at  an  admission  price  may 
be  countenanced  where  pictures  will  not  be.  If  no  fees  are 
permitted,  make  them  invitation  affairs  without  charge, 
getting  your  tickets,  where  possible,  into  the  hands  of  the 
better  class  of  your  patrons  and  giving  programs  that 


MUSIC   AS    AN   ADVERTISEMENT  35 

will  appeal  to  them.  Do  not  confine  your  efforts  to  the 
patrons.  Reach  out  for  the  people  you  are  not  getting. 
They  may  come  to  a  concert  where  the  pictures  will  not 
attract,  and  once  they  get  to  know  your  house,  they  will 
be  more  apt  to  form  a  habit  of  coming. 

Do  not  let  your  programs  be  too  heavy,  nor  yet  permit 
them  to  become  cheap,  and  give  the  program  with  as 
much  style  as  possible.  If  you  introduce  vocal  numbers 
do  not  use  stuff  of  the  illustrated  song  type.  Perhaps  the 
local  music  teacher  can  help  you  to  get  some  good  talent 
cheaply  in  return  for  advertisement  for  herself.  Get 
up  the  sort  of  concert  that  will  create  a  demand  for  more. 
Work  the  local  papers  for  special  mention.  If  there  is  a 
musical  club  in  town  enlist  their  interest.  Make  the 
scheme  work  in  as  many  ways  as  possible. 

At  the  regular  performances  give  the  same  promin- 
ence to  the  music.  Have  a  program  printed  for  the  day 
or  print  a  list  of  selections  for  the  week  and  announce 
that  the  daily  program  will  be  taken  from  these,  the 
selection  being  shown  by  card  or  program  letter  or  num- 
ber. This  should  be  done  only  with  selections  presented 
as  such  and  not  while  the  picture  is  running  on  the  screen. 

Failing  even  an  organ,  recourse  must  be  had  to  piano 
either  alone  or  in  combination  with  other  instruments. 
The  once  popular  combination  of  piano  and  drums  was 
a  hideous  thing  that  has  been  outgrown.  The  drummer 
was  handy  to  work  'his  traps,  but  today  it  is  the  picture 
that  counts  and  not  the  sound  effects.  Piano  and  cornet 
lacks  the  balance  of  piano  and  strings.  The  second  in- 
strument should  be  strings,  and  a  cello  rather  than  a 
violin,  if  possible.  If  a  third  player  can  be  added  a 
saxaphone  will  give  the  combined  tone  of  brass  and  wood. 
If  this  may  not  be  had  use  a  clarinet.  If  piano  alone  is 
used,  at  is  a  good  plan  to  have  some  relieving  novelty, 
such  as  a  chime  of  bells  or  a  xylophone.  These  should 
not  be  used  while  a  picture  is  on  the  the  screen,  but  for 
a  brief  interlude. 

Because  you  can  afford  only  a  piano  is  no  reason 
why  you  should  not  give  proper  care  to  your  music. 
Indeed  it  will  pay  to  be  even  more  careful,  since  you 


36  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

have  so  little  to  offer.  The  smaller  the  volume  of  tone 
the  better  it  should  be. 

No  matter  what  form  of  music  you  employ,  be  willing 
to  spend  money  for  a  musical  library.  Get  the  new 
selections  and  see  that  these  are  played;  not  the  jingly 
stuff  from  the  cheap  houses,  but  the  hits  from  the  musical 
comedies,  good  marches  and  the  like.  Of  course  you 
will  need  the  product  of  the  popular  song  publishing 
houses,  but  set  apart  some  of  the  dull  nights  as  "popular" 
nights  and  use  them  then. 

Though  it  is  contrary  to  accepted  belief,  NEVER 
permit  a  popular  song  hit  to  be  played  during  a  drama, 
and  in  a  comedy  only  when  it  fits  in.  Consciously  or 
otherwise,  the  patrons  will  mentally  repeat  the  words 
of  the  song  and  interest  will  be  divided  between  music 
and  the  screen.  This  is  one  of  the  little  things,  seldom 
noticed  but  always  important. 

Trade  shdes  should  be  discouraged,  but  there  is  no 
objection  to  a  slide  stating  that  "all  of  the  music  played 
at  this  theatre  may  be  had  at  Jones'  Music  Store,  Holtoa 
Block."  If  Jones  is  a  live  wire  he  will  see  that  you  get 
the  newest  and  best,  either  free  or  at  reduced  cost. 

There  are  three  kinds  of  music.  One  kind  keeps 
patrons  away,  a  second  is  barely  good  enough  to  pass, 
and  a  third  makes  business.  The  latter  means  constant 
alertness^  some  expense  and  a  lot  of  worry — but  it  is 
worth  it. 


TABULATING    INFORMATION  2,7 


CHAPTER  VI. 

TABULATING  INFORMATION 

Sources  of  information — indexing  by  dates — card  index 
system — loose  leaf  systems — colored  cards  for 
file  systems — tabulating  ideas — simple  methods 
of  binding  copies — envelope  systems  keeping 
posted. 

The  foregoing  chapters  cover  what  may  be  called  the 
natural  advertising  features.  We  come  now  to  adver- 
tising as  it  is  more  generally  understood.  Unless  the 
matters  already  treated  back  up  the  efforts  of  the  ad- 
vertiser to  make  business  through  his  films,  there  is  little 
use  in  advertising,  but  given  these  advantages,  the  attrac- 
tive announcement  of  programs  has  a  more  direct  effect 
on  the  prospective  patron. 

In  order  to  do  advertising  intelligently  there  must  be 
at  hand  material  with  which  to  work.  Vague  and  in- 
definite advertising  is  a  direct  waste  of  money.  An 
announcement  that  merely  reads  "Always  a  Big  Show," 
or  "Six  Sensational  Reels,"  means  nothing  more  than 
that  you  are  giving  some  sort  of  a  picture  show.  It  is 
your  object,  of  course,  to  advertise  that  fact,  but  by  tell- 
ing zvhy  the  show  is  good  and  what  those  sensations  are, 
you  not  only  give  publicity  to  the  facts  but  you  make 
the  hesitating  patrons  want  to  come. 

Always  a  good  show  may  be  a  correct  statement,  but 
unless  every  man,  woman  and  child  is  fully  convinced 
of  that  fact,  there  is  still  need  for  argument  and  explana- 
tion. It  is  no  argument  to  say  that  you  have  a  good 
show.  That  is  the  statement  that  every  Exhibitor  is 
expected  to  make.  You  must  prove  by  facts  that  your 
show  is  good. 


38  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

You  know  that  Dodson  sells  good  shoes.  Generally 
you  purchase  your  shoes  of  him  and  will  do  so  w'hen 
you  need  another  pair.  That  may  be  a  couple  of  months 
from  now.  But  if  Dodson  advertises  that  for  three  days 
he  will  sell  a  shoe  that  is  extra  good  value  for  $3,  you 
may  go  over  and  buy  a  pair,  knowing  that  the  supply  is 
limited.  You  know  he  always  has  good  shoes,  but  he 
has  made  you  come  in  and  buy  a  pair  today  instead  of 
three  months  from  now.  Your  patrons  may  know  you 
always  have  a  good  show,  but  you  must  try  to  word  your 
advertising  in  such  a  fashion  that  they  want  to  come 
today.  To  do  this  you  must  know  what  you  are  talking 
about.  You  must  know  something  more  than  the  titles 
if  you  would  talk  intelligently. 

There  are  two  chief  sources  of  information,  the  ad- 
vertising bulletins  of  the  makers  of  films  and  the  trade 
paper.  The  former  is  useful  in  suggesting  lines  and 
p'hrases  and  special  advertising  schemes,  but  the  trade 
paper  is  a  veritable  mine  of  information,  giving  all  in- 
formation obtainable  in  compact  shape. 

But  information  is  of  value  only  in  proportion  to  its 
accessibility.  You  may  know  that  the  information  you 
need  is  in  one  of  a  heap  of  tattered  and  dirty  loose  copies 
on  your  office  table,  but  which  one,  and  where  ?  A  bound 
volume  of  the  Moving  Picture  World  and  some  form  of 
index  are  as  necessary  to  your  house  as  the  key  to  the 
front  door  or  a  roll  of  tickets. 

"Bound  volume"  will  probably  suggest  to  you  an  ex- 
pensive cloth  bound  work,  but  these  volumes  generally 
come  too  late  to  do  the  Exhibitor  immediate  good,  and 
bound  volume  here  means  merely  a  file  of  the  papers 
fastened  together  in  regular  order  by  some  means. 
Patent  binders  may  be  had  from  any  stationer,  if  not 
from  stock,  at  least  on  order,  but  just  as  good  results 
may  be  had  from  a  piece  of  shoestring  or  corset  lace  and 
a  hollow  punch. 

Get  a  hollow  punch  three-sixteenths  of  an  inch  in 
diameter.  You  will  need  a  hammer  and  a  block  of  wood. 
It  is  handy,  also,  to  have  a  gauge.  A  gauge  can  be  made 
from  a  strip  of  pasteboard  or  from  a  strip  of  brass.     A 


TABULATING  INFORMATION 


39 


twelve-inch  length  of  printer's  "two-point"  brass  rule  is 
just  the  thing.  Drill  two  holes  in  the  rule,  one  four 
inches  from  each  end  of  the  strip  and  with  about  a  three- 
sixteenth  of  an  inch  of  metal  to  one  edge  of  the  rule. 
Lay  this  on  top  of  the  first  number  of  a  volume  and  with 
a  pencil  mark  the  circles.  Remove  the  rule  and  punch 
out  these  holes.  Thread  the  shoestring  through  the  holes 
from  the  front.  When  the  second  number  comes  mark 
and  punch  in  the  same  manner  and  tie  beiiiiid  number 
one.  When  you  complete  a  volume,  make  a  more  per- 
manent form  of  knot  and  start  a  new  file  with  the  next 
issue  and  a  new  string. 


f^b.     8 — HearCB  to  bet   (■'. 

Feb.     !>— The    W^rong     Girl      i  Two     I'arts   -Com- 
edy). 

Feb.  10 — Breaking   In    (Comedy-Drama). 
Feb.  11 — On  the  .-Vltar  of  Love   (Drama). 
Feb.  12- When   Greek  Meets  Greek    (Comedy). 
•Feb.   1-" — Mother's        Roses        (Broadway        Star 
Feature  —  Special  —  Three    Parts  — 
Drama). 


Feb. 
Feb. 


Feb. 

SFeb. 

■Feb. 

Feb. 


i'eb. 


15— The  Profesiior's   Nightmare    (Comedv) 
■io~^^^°®^  ^^  Swedish  Norrland   (Scenic) 
16— -OGTarry  of  the  Royal  Mounted   (Broad- 
way    Star     Features— Special— Thre« 
Parts — Drama). 

17— Some  White  Hope?    (Comedy) 

1»— The  Quality  of  Mercy  (Drama). 

on    i^  Madcap  Adventure  (Comedy— Dr.) 

20— Twice   Rescued    (Special— Two    part»— 

Drama). 
oS~"™I^'*''^   Samuel    Skidded    (Comedy) 
2o— The    Still,    Small    Voice    ( Special --T^so 
^.     „,   parts—Drama). 

Mail      Who 


(Com. 


"Figgered' 


Figure    8. — Example    of    pasted    calender. 


Because  of  its  bulk  the  Moving  Picture  World  runs 
four  volumes  to  the  year ;  thirteen  issues  to  the  volume. 
The  pages  are  numbered  from  the  front  cover  of  number 


40  PICTURE    THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

one  to  the  back  cover  of  number  thirteen,  in  consecutive 
order.  In  noting  an  item  it  is  necessary  only  to  note  the 
page  and  volume  number.  Instead  of  having  to  write 
"Page  73,  March  27,  1915,"  you  merely  write  "23/73."' 
The  first  number  stands  for  the  number  of  the  volume 
and  the  second  for  the  page.  With  one  exception  this 
is  the  basis  of  all  the  filing  systems. 

The  exception  is  to  file  by  dates  and  companies  and  look 
up  the  matter  when  you  know  what  films  you  are  to  have. 
In  the  back  part  of  each  issue  may  be  found  a  list  of 
recent  films,  classified  by  companies  and  in  the  order  of 
their  release.  These  are  to  be  pasted  up  by  companie.^, 
either  on  the  pages  of  a  cheap  blank  book  or  on  loose 
sheets  inserted  in  an  arch  file  or  bound  in  a  loose  leaf 
cover.  If  you  use  the  latter  it  is  best  to  buy  cheap  paper 
and  have  it  cut  to  size  instead  of  using  the  high  grade 
stock  supplied  for  the  purpose. 

Each  company's  releases  are  kept  together.  The 
calendar  is  changed  weekly  and  the  new  releases  written 
in.  When  the  releases  already  pasted  up  are  passed,  you 
cut  and  paste  the  next  list.  Figure  8  shows  a  section 
of  the  Vitagraph  calendar. 

In  using  this  simple  form,  knowing  the  company 
making  a  subject,  you  turn  to  their  list,  ascertain  the  date 
of  release  and  look  up  your  material  in  advance  of  that 
date.  A  little  work  every  second  or  third  week  will  keep 
your  list  up  to  date.  The  rest  is  merely  a  matter  of 
looking  up  the  proper  papers.     This  takes  time. 

As  a  rule  you  must  get  out  your  advertising  matter 
in  a  hurry  and  cannot  spare  the  time  for  an  extended 
search  for  material.  Some  scheme  that  will  give  you 
quicker  reference  is  to  be  preferred.  These  systems  re- 
quire more  time  to  maintain,  but  the  work  can  be  done 
when  time  permits  instead  of  while  the  printer  waits  for 
copy. 

The  simplest  generally  efficient  system  is  a  card  cata- 
olgue  scheme.  This  requires  the  regular  three  by  five- 
inch  cards  and  a  container  that  may  be  a  thirty-five  cent 
storage  box  or  a  cabinet  as  elaborate  as  you  can  afiford 
and  desire,  , 


TABULATING   INFORMATION  41 

The  essential  facts  will  generally  be  found  under  a 
few  heads.     These  are : 

S — The  synopsis  of  the  story. 

C — The  criticism  of  the  release. 

A — ^The  advertisement  of  the  manufacturer. 

M — ^The  manufacturer's  press  work. 

X — Special  press  matter. 

Each  week  you  prepare  a  set  of  cards  for  the  releases 
of  the  week.  If  you  use  features,  these  can  be  similarly 
treated.  The  cards  can  be  used  just  as  they  come  out  of 
stock;  they  may  be  printed  up,  or  rubber  stamped  by 
a  stamp  made  for  the  purpose.  On  the  top  line  goes  the 
title  of  the  film.  For  convenience,  stories  commencing 
with  "A,"  "An,"  or  "The,"  have  the  articles  dropped 
from  the  commencement  of  the  title,  to  avoid  clogging 
those  divisions  of  the  catalogue. 


Judgenent  Day,   The 


Maker-  Social   Features  Part«-4     Released-5-28-15 

Advertisement-  24-946  Synopsis-  24-1123 

Criticism- 24-   1849  Special  story-    24_1261 

Press  work-     24-915        24-1327 

Remarks:  Deals  with  protection  to  men  in 

machine   shops.   Work  up  with  labor  unions. 


Figure  9. — An  index  card  properly  entered. 

Each  week  the  titles  are  prepared  and  the  cards  are 
filed  in  their  proper  places  in  the  catalogue.  It  is  best 
to  use  a  comparatively  small  set  of  guide  cards.  These 
are  cards  with  the  alphabetical  divisions  printed  on  tabs 
that  rise  above  the  cards.  Sixty  or  one  hundred  guides 
will  be  plenty.  In  filing  you  not  only  go  by  these  guides, 
but    in    strict    alphabetical    order.      The    three    stories. 


42  PICTURE   THEATRE  ADVERTISING 

"Beauty  Wins,"  "Back  Home,"  and  "Baby  Love,"  might 
all  go  in  the  division  "Ba-Be,"  but  you  would  file  "Baby 
Love"  before  "Back  Home,"  and  that  before  "Beauty 
Wins,"  being  guided  by  the  third  letter. 

Taking  the  paper,  you  mark  down  from  the  synopsis 
pages  all  synopses  published,  hunting  up  the  cards  and 
leaving  a  pencil  or  block  in  the  place  from  which  a  caid 
is  taken  until  it  is  returned.  In  the  same  way  you  give 
volume  and  page  number  to  other  information.  Figure 
9  shows  a  card  properly  entered.  At  a  glance  the  title 
shows  itself  to  be  a  Social  Feature  film  in  four  parts, 
dealing  with  protection  to  men  in  machine  shops.  In 
volume  twenty-four  the  synopsis  appears  on  page  1123, 
the  advertisement  on  page  946,  a  special  story  is  to  be 
found  on  page  1361,  press  work  on  pages  915  and  1327, 
and  a  criticism  on  page  1849.  You  have  only  to  consult 
those  pages  to  obtain  full  information  as  to  the  subject 
without  loss  of  time  or  fear  of  overlooking  anything. 
Where  a  printed  card  is  not  used,  it  is  handier  to  use 
the  one-letter  abbreviations  given  in  the  table  earlier  in 
this  chapter. 

A  more  elaborate  scheme  is  the  loose  leaf  scrap  book. 
Here  all  of  the  material  is  cut  out  at  the  time  of  receipt, 
two  file  copies  of  the  paper  being  required.  This  matter, 
along  with  the  manufacturer's  material  and  other  infor- 
mation, is  lightly  pasted  onto  large  sheets  of  paper  and 
filed  in  alphabetical  order.  W'hen  a  film  program  is  re- 
ceived it  is  necessary  only  to  remove  the  proper  sheets 
and  all  the  material  is  ready  to  hand  without  search. 

Variations  of  this  scheme  are  to  use  envelopes  large 
enough  to  contain  the  material,  or  vertical  folders.  These 
add  considerably  to  the  expense  and,  unless  time  is  a 
most  vital  consideration,  it  will  generally  be  found  that 
the  card  system  is  sufficient. 

Whatever  the  system  employed,  provision  should  be 
made  for  keeping  down  the  catalogue.  It  seldom  if  ever 
happens  that  a  subject  older  than  180  days  is  needed.  It 
follows  then,  that  a  six  months'  file  is  sufficient.  The 
best  scheme  for  sorting  over  the  file  is  the  color  system. 
Cards  may  be  had  in  from  eight  to  a  dozen  colors,  ac- 


TABULATING   INFORMATION  43 

cording  to  the  stock.  Get  cards  of  various  colors  and 
change  every  three  months.  Suppose  you  use  this 
classification: 

January  to  March — White. 

April  to  June — ^Green. 

July  to  September — ^Pink. 

October  to  December — Primrose. 

The  first  three  months  you  use  white  cards.  For  April 
to  June  dates  set  aside  the  white  cards  and  use  green. 
In  July  you  change  to  pink,  and  in  October  to  primrose. 
The  first  of  October  you  strip  the  file  of  all  white  cards. 
The  first  of  January  the  green  cards  are  taken  out,  and 
so  on.  The  work  may  be  done  more  quickly  and  more 
surely  by  color  than  where  dates  have  to  be  read. 

The  same  scheme  can  be  used  for  the  other  systems. 

Get  a  set  of  stamp  pads  with  various  colors,  say  red, 
green,  blue  and  black.  Get  some  bottle  corks ;  champagne 
corks  are  just  the  thing.  Shave  one  end  to  an  even  sur- 
face and  use  it  the  same  as  you  would  a  rubber  stamp. 
For  the  first  three  months  use  one  color  then  change  the 
same  as  with  cards,  taking  out  the  first  color  at  the  end  of 
the  ninth  month.  For  the  loose  sheets,  leave  one  outside 
corner  blank  for  the  stamp.  Stamp  the  envelopes  where 
a  postage  stamp  would  naturally  be  placed  and  the  same 
with  the  folders.  Even  a  small  boy  can  strip  the  files 
without  going  wrong. 

Some  system  is  absolutely  necessary  if  you  would  avoid 
silly  and  hurtful  mistakes.  Titles  are  apt  to  be  mislead- 
ing in  the  extreme,  and  are  not  to  be  counted  upon.  You 
would  have  no  confidence  in  a  grocer  w'ho  sold  you  flour 
for  powdered  sugar  and  who  fell  back  on  the  lame  ex- 
planation that  it  should  have  been  sugar.  Your  patrons 
will  regard  you  similarly  if  you  announce  a  drama  that 
proves  to  be  a  comedy  or  vice  versa.  If  you  do  not  even 
know  that  much  about  your  offering,  you  cannot  expect 
your  statements  to  be  believed  when  you  say  it  is  a  fine 
drama  or  an  unusually  amusing  comedy. 

In  addition  to  tabulating  film  information,  tabulate 
anything  that  can  be  of  use  to  you  in  your  advertising. 
Have  a  supplementary  index  for  ideas.    Get  blank  guide 


44  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

cards,  "third  cut"  and  label  these  with  special  subjects 
such  as  Souvenirs,  Holidays,  Matinees,  Comfort,  Con- 
venience, Ventilation,  Seating,  Safety,  Features,  Pro- 
gram, Music,  etc.  Catchlines,  as  will  be  explained  in  a 
later  chapter,  will  have  several  subdivisions. 

Whenever  you  read  of  an  idea  or  think  of  one,  write 
it  down ;  one  idea  only  to  a  card,  and  file  it  away.  When 
you  want  information  on  any  subject,  turn  to  that  classi- 
fication and  you  will  have  it  all  to  your  hand.  In  time 
you  will  be  surprised  at  the  mass  of  material  you  can 
acquire.  Carry  cards  with  you  and  jot  down  ideas  the 
moment  they  come  to  you.  File  them  as  soon  as  you 
come  to  the  theatre.  Never  let  an  idea  get  away  from 
you.  Nail  it  on  a  card  and  put  the  card  where  you  can 
keep  an  eye  on  it.  All  of  this  may  sound  formidable,  but 
you  will  find  that  in  practise  it  is  a  very  simple  matter 
to  build  up  a  file  of  information  that  will  be  invaluable 
to  you. 

Keep  a  scrap  book  of  all  your  advertising.  It  is  best 
to  have  two  books,  one  for  your  own  work  and  one  for 
the  advertisements  of  your  competitors.  Invoice  books 
are  good,  but  if  you  do  not  want  to  go  to  the  expense 
of  books,  get  large  sheets  of  paper  and  two  sticks  long 
enough  and  three-fourths  by  one-half  inch.  Get  enough 
three-inch  brass  bolts  to  go  one  about  every  six  inches. 
The  one-eighth  or  three-sixteenth  bolts  will  be  best.  Get 
^wo  washers  and  one  winged  nut  for  each.  Drill  holes 
at  proper  distances  through  the  two  sticks.  Put  the  bolts 
through  one  stick  with  washers  between  the  wood  and 
the  heads.  Punch  the  paper  to  suit  and  place  on  the 
bolts.  Then  put  on  the  top  stick  and  the  other  washers 
and  screw  the  winged  nuts  home.  This  will  serve  as  well 
as  bound  books  and  can  be  used  repeatedly. 

But  do  not  merely  paste  the  books  up.  When  time 
permits  get  them  down  and  study  them.  See  where  you 
could  have  improved  the  layout.  See  where  your  op- 
position has  done  so.  It  will  be  a  liberal  education  in  the 
long  run.  And  do  not  merely  study  other  picture  theatre 
advertising.  Study  all  advertising  in  the  daily  papers 
and  in  the  magazines.    Be  always  on  the  outlook  for  new 


CATCHLINES  45 

ideas.  You'll  find  them  everywhere  and  perhaps  the 
advertisement  of  some  large  department  store  will  prove 
a  more  helpful  source  of  inspiration  than  your  opponent's 
efforts.  With  information  tabulated  and  ready  to  hand 
and  with  examples  of  advertising  before  you,  it  will  soon 
become  a  simple  matter  to  write  good  advertisements  in 
less  time  than  once  it  took  you  to  frame  a  four-line 
reader. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

CATCHLINES 
Value  of  a  slogan — slang  to  be  used  sparingly — atten- 
tion   attractors — argument    lines — the    need    for 
collecting  catchlines  in  advance. 

Catchlines  are  so  important  that  a  chapter  supplemental 
to  tabulated  information  is  here  offered,  though  it  is 
recommended  that  the  catalogue  of  catchlines  be  made  a 
part ;  and  an  important  part,  of  the  general  catalogue. 

Catchlines  may  be  generally  divided  into  two  classi- 
fications :  attention  attractors  and  arguments.  "Don't  be 
a  fool,"  staring  at  one  from  an  advertisement  challenges 
interest,  but  it  offers  no  argument.  The  familiar  "Go 
where  the  crowd  goes,"  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  an  argu- 
ment that  the  crowds  indicate  the  presence  of  good  value. 
Both  forms  of  catchline  have  their  uses,  but  they  differ 
in  that  the  argument  may  stand  by  itself  where  generally 
the  attractor  runs  into  the  body  of  the  text ;  a  short,  pithy 
line,  incomplete  in  itself,  that  leads  the  reader  to  follow 
on  to  the  argument. 

Sometimes  the  catchline  becomes  the  house  slogan. 
The  "Go  where  the  crowd  goes,"  already  referred  to,  is 
used  by  many  houses  as  is  "The  House  of  Hits,"  bor- 
rowed from  a  music  catalogue.  "The  Home  of  Perfect 
Projection,"  "Where  the  Big  Shows  Play,"  and  similar 
lines  are  in  general  use.  Most  of  these  are  too  general 
in  their  appeal.  They  are  unsupported  statements.  On 
the  other  hand  "The  Little  House  with  the  Big  Seats," 


46  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

suggests  coziness  and  comfort  and  tell  why. 

Alliteration  is  not  generally  advisable,  though  now  and 
then  something  similar  to  the  examples  in  Figure  10  may 
be  empolyed  even  as  a  sort  of  supplemental  trade  mark. 

Perfect  ftflOSt 

ictures  |U|   ^o** 

roperly  IVl   '^» 

rojected  Ifloney 

Figure  10. — Two  examples  of  alliterative  catchlines. 

It  is  better  not  to  seek  to  create  a  slogan  at  the  start. 
It  is  seldom  that  the  happiest  selection  is  made  deliber- 
ately. Let  it  be  a  matter  of  growth ;  something  suggested 
by  the  house  or  its  conduct  that  fits  so  exactly  that  every 
regular  patron  recognizes  its  truth  and  the  chance  reader 
feels  the  appeal. 

For  general  advertising  the  catchline  should  be  changed 
with  each  batch  of  copy.  The  frequent  use  of  slang 
should  be  avoided,  and  where  slang  is  used,  it  should  be 
neither  too  new  to  be  understood  nor  so  old  as  to  be 
tiresome.  Wait  until  it  is  generally  accepted,  but  do  not 
wait  too  long. 

It  is  better  to  coin  your  own  phrases  or  adapt  others 
than  to  borrow  outright.  Carry  the  cards  mentioned  in 
the  preceeding  chapter  and  the  instant  you  see  a  line  that 
can  be  used  in  its  present  form  or  adapted,  write  it  down 
and  file  it  away.  Your  reading,  your  conversations  and 
your  thoughts  will  all  bring  suggestions  if  you  are  alert 
and  look  for  them. 

File  these  under  such  general  heads  as  "house,"  "com- 
forts," "matinees,"  "programs,"  etc.,  and  have  a  catchall 
for  vagrant  phrases.  It  will  simplify  the  search  for 
material  and  group  the  ideas  under  proper  heads. 

When  you  are  ready  to  write  your  advertising  look  over 
your  stuff.  Find  something  that  will  fit.  Suppose  that 
you  have  an  automobile  racing  story.  From  an  accident 
insurance  advertisement  you  have  taken  the  familiar  cry 
of  "Car  coming!"  leading  to  the  argument  that  you  may 


CATCHLINES  47 

not  hear  the  cry  some  day  and  will  be  sorry,  up  in  heaven, 
that  your  widow  has  no  insurance  to  collect.  Now  you 
evolve  an  advertisement  something  like  Figure  11.  You 
have  your  text  and  your  catchline.  You  forget  the  old 
advertisement  in  the  new.  Almost  always  something  in 
the  film  will  give  you  a  hint  for  a  catchline  and  the  catch- 
line  will  either  attract  the  attention  that  the  title  will  not 
get  or  emphasize  its  value. 


CAR    COMING  !  ! 

If  you've  ever  been  to  an  automobile  road  race  you  know  how 
this  cry  thrills  as  the  speed  fiends  come  hurtling  down  the 
course.  If  you  have  never  seen  one  you'll  get  all  the  excite- 
ment and  the  thrills  without  the  dust  and  discomfort  in 


IN  THE  LAST  HALF  MILE 

ierful  romance   woven  by  the   famous  AJ£ 
great    automobile    classic    of    America 

THE  VANDERBILT  CUP  RACE 


The  wonderful  romance   woven  by  the   famous  Ajax   company 
around    the   great    automobile   classic    of    America 


Figure  11. — A  catchline  that  reads  into  the 
body  of  the  advertisement. 

Sometimes  the  Exhibitor  can  invent  a  fictitious  char- 
acter whose  observations  will  be  looked  for,  and  will  head 
his  copy  with  something  like  these: 

Cy  Perkins  says:  "If  your  wife  talks  too  much  come 
to  the  Dream  and  enjoy  the  silent  drama,  or  bring  her  and 
enjoy  her  silence." 

Cy  Perkins  says:  "A  stitch  in  time  saves  nine,  but  a 
ticket  to  the  Dream  saves  nine  dimes." 

Cy  Perkins  says :  "A  man  stung  by  a  bee  gets  as  mad 
as  a  hornet,  but  there  are  no  stings  at  the  Dream." 

The  more  clever  the  lines  are  the  better,  but  they  do 
not  have  to  be  extremely  clever  to  attract  attention. 

Writing  catchlines  is  partly  trick  and  partly  habir. 
The  more  they  are  studied  the  greater  the  proficiency 
gained.  These  that  follow  may  be  found  useful  and  will 
suggest  others. 


48  PICTURE    THEATRE    ADVERTISING 

You  cannot  judge  by  the  title.    See  the  picture. 

We  do  not  make  the  pictures,  but  we  get  the  best  made. 

Yesterday — that's  gone. 
FORGET  IT. 

Tomorrow — doesn't   exist. 
DON'T  WORRY. 

Today — is  here. 

LET  IT  FIND  YOU 
AT  THE  GRAND. 

I  could  get  cheaper  pictures,  but  I  won't. 
I  would  get  better  pictures,  but  I  can't. 

The  cool  house  with  the  warm  welcome. 

Wouldst  have  a  merry,  jolly  time? 
The  Crescent  beckons,  price  one  dime. 

In  worry  would  you  pound  some  dents? 
Go  to  the  Crescent  for  ten  cents. 

Ten  cents :  one  dime  is  well  expended 
At  the  Crescent :  troubles  ended. 

Ten  little  pennies  make  one  dime. 
The  Crescent  means  a  happy  time. 

It's  not  what  you  pay,  but  what  you  g-et. 

Two  dollar  acting  for  ten  cents. 

Wind  up  the  day  right. 

Miles  of  smiles. 

Give  us  ten  cents.     If  you're  sorry  we'll  give  it  back. 


CATCHLINES  49 

Glad  you  came.    Do  it  some  more. 

If  you're  looking  for  some  one  after  eight  o'clock, 
look  in  at  the  Beauty.  He'll  be  there  with  the  rest  of 
the  crowd. 

All  for  fun  and  fun  for  all. 

A  dollar  will  buy  no  more. 

Every  little  bit  of  better  added  to  the  best  makes  our 
best  just  a  little  bit  better. 

Nobody  nowhere  is  getting  from  anybody  anyw'herc 
better  pictures  than  we  are  showing  everybody  here. 

Just  the  place  to  rest  a  while. 

Drop,  your  cares  and  smile  and  smile. 

New  York  is  enjoying  the  same  pictures  we  are  show- 
ing here  tonight. 

The  smile  that  won't  come  off  is  the  smile  that  we 
put  on  you. 

It  isn't  just  the  pictures;  it's  the  way  we  show  them. 


so  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

ADVERTISING  ON  THE  SCREEN 

How  to  make  slides — slide  ink — use  of  opaques — the 
serial  slide — business  making  slides — contest 
slides — local  features. 

One  of  the  best,  cheapest  and  most  direct  forms  of 
advertising  to  patrons  whose  favor  you  already  enjoy  is 
by  means  of  the  screen.  The  wise  Exhibitor  will  keep 
this  advantage  to  himself  and  not  permit  trade  adver- 
tising to  creep  in.  Trade  advertisements  are  proper 
enough  in  a  house  program  where  they  may  be  read  or 
ignored,  but  it  is  unfair  to  a  patron  to  anchor  him  in  a 
seat  and  then  force  him  either  to  close  his  eyes  or  to 
watch  a  seemingly  endless  projection  of  advertisements 
of  trades  people.  He  will  not  mind  your  talking  him, 
but  he  will  resent  it  when  you  invite  the  butcher,  the 
baker,  the  grocer  and  the  stationer  to  come  and  share 
your  advantage.  In  the  long  run  it  will  react  against  the 
house.  For  a  time  the  patron  may  stand  the  slides  for 
the  sake  of  the  pictuies,  but  eventually  he  will  decide 
that  he  is  tired  of  pictures  when  it  may  be  merely  that  he 
is  tired  of  the  slides. 

The  slides  may  add  a  few  dollars  to  your  revenue,  but 
would  you  like  it  if  your  barber  should  suddenly  leave 
you  with  your  face  unshaved  while  he  stopped  to  tell 
you  the  prices  of  Schmidt's  meat,  of  Slocum's  bread,  sing 
the  praises  of  Denton's  shoes  and  Hummer's  sugar?  You 
went  in  to  get  a  shave.  You  rather  expect  to  be  asked  to 
purchase  a  bottle  of  hair  tonic  and  be  told  that  your  hair 
needs  cutting,  but  that  is  about  all  you  will  permit. 
The  two  situations  are  precisely  the  same.  You  have 
your  patrons  at  your  mercy  and  you  take  advantage  of 
their  helplessness.   In  time  they  are  bound  to  resent  it  and 


ADVERTISING   ON    THE    SCREEN  51 

perhaps  turn  to  a  house  that  makes  capital  of  the  fact 
that  it  treats  its  patrons  with  consideration. 

Perhaps  the  most  familiar  forms  of  slides,  additional 
to  the  slide  prepared  by  the  photographic  process,  are 
those  formed  of  opaque  paper  with  the  letters  cut  out 
by  a  machine,  sheets  of  geletaine  written  or  typewritten 
upon,  slides  treated  with  opaque  and  then  scratched,  slides 
written  with  prepared  ink  and  those  painted  on  the  glass. 

The  simplest  form  of  the  glass  slide  is  that  in  which 
the  message  is  written  on  the  face  of  the  glass,  dried  and 
exhibited.  There  are  inks  prepared  for  this  purpose,  but 
a  good  ink  may  be  made  by  mixing  two  fluid  ounces  of 
water  with  one  half  ounce  of  mucilage  and  adding  one 
half  ounce  of  white  oxide  of  zinc.  This  will  write  on 
the  clear  glass  and  can  be  was'bed  ofif. 

If  you  want  to  go  to  a  little  trouble,  you  can  outline 
these  slides  with  black  carriage  varnish,  using  a  fine 
brush,  and  making  a  simple  line  or  as  ornate  a  frame  as 
your  artistic  abilities  permit.  The  varnish  is  waterproof 
and  the  part  done  in  this  medium  will  be  permanent,  the 
slides  being  used  repeatedly.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  keep 
on  hand  slides  permanently  lettered  with  stock  announce- 
ments and  partly  lettered  with  such  lines  as  "Coming 
soon,"  "Tomorrow."  "Don't  miss,"  and  similar  phrases 
which  may  be  amplified  by  the  addition  of  the  title  and 
date  in   slide  ink. 

Ink  slides  must  be  given  time  to  dry  down.  A  form  of 
slide  that  can  be  used  immediately  is  prepared  in  blank  by 
coating  the  glass  with  whiting,  to  which  a  little  gum  has 
been  added,  photographic  marl  or  opaque,  or  any  similar 
substance  that  can  be  removed  wi  h  a  sharp  point.  The 
coating  should  be  as  thin  as  possible  or  the  letters  will  be 
irregular,  due  to  the  caking  of  the  coating  and  its  removal 
in  lumps.  In  most  forms  of  slide  carriers  these  require 
to  be  covered  with  a  second  glass.  If  not  intended  for 
regular  display  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  bind  these  very 
securely.  A  bit  of  the  binding  tape  on  all  four  sides  is 
sufficient.  Some  operators  make  a  hinge  on  one  long 
edge  with  the  binder  and  merely  clip  the  other  side  with 
a  small  strip  of  the  glued  tape. 


52  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Old  photographic  plates  make  good  slide  blanks  if  the 
deposit  of  silver  is  removed.  This  leaves  one  surface 
coated  with  a  fine  film  of  gelatine  which  can  be  tinted, 
if  desired,  written  on  to  get  a  black  letter  on  a  white 
ground,  or  scratched  to  get  a  white  letter  on  a  dark  tint. 
Local  photographers  can  supply  these  plates  in  large 
sizes,  which  may  be  cut  down  for  use.  Generally  when 
disposed  of  they  are  sold  for  old  glass  and  the  face  of 
the  negative  is  scratched  to  prevent  prints  being  made. 
For  a  small  sum  he  would  probably  be  willing  to  bleach 
and  perhaps  harden  the  film  and  turn  them  over  unde- 
faced. 

If  the  slides  are  to  be  tinted,  dip  them  in  a  solution 
of  any  package  dye  (experimenting  to  ascertain  the 
proper  strength),  and  dry  in  a  rack  that  permits  the 
surplus  dye  to  drip  from  one  corner,  otherwise  the  dye 
will  be  apt  to  dry  down  in  rings.  If  these  blanks  are 
placed  over  some  design  of  the  proper  size,  the  latter  can 
be  sketched  in,  and  where  desired,  can  be  tinted  with  the 
regular  photographic  tints;  a  ten  or  fifteen  cent  outfit 
lasting  a  season.  With  some  good  designs  and  a  little 
practise  really  handsome  home  made  slides  can  be  turned 
out  with  small  expense. 

Sheets  of  gelatine,  plain  or  colored,  may  be  written 
upon  in  ink  or  may  be  put  into  the  typewriter.  In  the 
latter  case  it  is  better  to  get  the  impression  with  a  piece 
of  new  carbon  paper  instead  of  trusting  to  the  partly 
worn  ribbon.  The  best  grade  of  carbon  for  this  purpose 
is  the  soft  or  "railroad"  carbon,  which  will  leave  a  heavier 
deposit  The  same  piece  should  not  be  used  more  than 
once  or  wherever  a  letter  on  the  second  .slide  comes  over 
one  on  the  first  job,  there  will  be  a  variation  in  the  de- 
posit of  carbon  that  may  show  up  badly  on  the  screen. 

If  you  want  to  go  to  the  expense  of  buying  a  small 
hand  press  and  a  few  fonts  of  type,  you  can  print  on  these 
gelatine  sheets  and  get  a  result  every  bit  as  good  as  a 
professional  job.  The  type  should  be  in  the  eight,  twelve 
and  eighteen  point  sizes,  a  single  font  of  the  larger  sizes 
and  more  of  the  eight  point. 

If  you  are  handy  with  the  camera,  the  true  photo- 


ADVERTISING    ON    THE    SCREEN  53 

graphic  slides  can  be  made  if  you  have  a  long  focus 
camera  that  can  be  worked  with  a  glass  plate.  A  kit 
must  be  used  to  hold  the  proper  size  lantern  plate. 

The  punched  paper  slides  are  neat  and  may  be  quickly 
prepared,  but  the  cost  of  the  machine  (about  one  hun- 
dred dollars)  makes  it  rather  an  expensive  aid,  consider- 
ing its  limited  use. 

Another  use  of  opaque  paper  is  for  the  preparation 
of  cut-out  slides.  In  this  an  outline  is  cut  in  the  paper 
and  the  text  lettered  in  the  opening.  The  masks  may  be 
made  of  any  opaque  paper,  but  the  black  "needle"  paper 
used  around  photographic  plates  and  to  back  kodack 
films  is  just  the  thing.  Any  photographer  who  does  de- 
veloping for  amateurs  will  be  glad  to  give  you  all  you 
want  without  charge. 

The  opening  may  be  fanciful,  a  star,  square  or  diamond, 
but  is  better  if  suited  to  the  subject  to  be  announced;  a 
bottle  or  demijohn  for  a  temperance  film,  a  star  and 
crescent  for  a  Turkish  subject,  and  so  on.  The  cut-out 
is  pasted  onto  the  glass  and  this  must  dry  before  the 
lettering  is  done.  The  efifect  on  the  screen  is  that  of  a 
shape  of  light  carrying  the  text. 

Clock  face  slides  are  handy  and  may  now  be  purchased 
so  cheaply  that  it  scarcely  pays  to  make  one.  If  for  any 
reason  it  must  be  done,  bore  a  hole  in  the  centre  of  a 
blank,  using  a  rat  tail  file  and  keeping  the  glass  wet  with 
a  saturated  solution  of  camphor  in  turpentine.  Take  a 
five  cent  piece  of  gum  camphor,  drop  a  few  drops  of 
alcohol  upon  it  and  crumble  it  up  almost  to  a  powder, 
put  into  a  bottle  and  add  a  couple  of  ounces  of  pure 
spirits  of  turpentine.  It  will  not  all  dissolve,  but  suf- 
ficient will  be  taken  up.  You  will  probably  break  a  few 
glasses,  so  practise  on  worthless  pieces.  The  hands  can 
be  procured  from  the  jeweler  and  the  clock  face  can  bs 
lettered  on. 

A  more  simple  scheme  is  to  use  the  carriage  varnish 
and  opaque  in  combination,  lettering  the  slide  "It  is  now 

o'clock."  The  blank  represents  a  patch  of  opaque, 

which  can  be  scratched  to  give  the  exact  time.  As  soon 
as  the  slide  has  been  used,  it  can  be  recoated  with  opaque, 


54  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

wet  with  alcohol  instead  of  water,  and  will  be  ready  for 
the  next  showing. 

If  you  have  a  sense  of  humor  you  can  make  your  slides 
entertaining  as  well  as  informative.  This  does  not  mean 
the  drawing  of  more  or  less  humorous  pictures,  but 
smart  wording.  One  good  trick  is  the  serial  slide  in 
which  two  or  more  slides,  shown  in  succession,  lead  to 
the  climax.    One  set  of  slides  used  carried  this  text: 

(1)  Mme.  Nevernue,  the  famous  clairvoy- 
ant, maintains  that  good  luck  comes  to  the 
young  lady  who  removes  her  liat  in  the 
theatre. 

(2)  Recently  a  young  lady  visited  this 
theatre.  She  removed  her  hat  as  soon  as  she 
took  her  seat. 

(3)  Would  you  believe  it? 

(4)  She  married  a  millionaire  the  very  next 
day. 

Running  this  text  on  a  single  slide  would  have  brought 
only  mild  amusement.  Creating  suspense  roused  interest 
and  the  climax  was  received  with  roars  of  laughter. 
More  than  that,  it  got  the  hats  off.  Another  hat  slide 
reads: 

(1)     Ladies 

Do  you  believe  in 

Woman's  Rights? 

If  you  do 

(2)     Take  your  hat  off 
Like  a  man 

A  third  hat  silde  also  runs  double.  The  first  merely 
says :  "Do  not  remove  your  hat."  This  seems  unusual 
and  attracts  attention,  A  moment  later  the  slide  is 
changed  and  the  patron  is  told :  "The  last  row  is  reserved 
for  those  ladies  who  do  not  wish  to  remove  their  hats." 
This  is  a  more  courteous  form  of  sign  than  "Ladies  who 
will  not  remove  their  hats  must  occupy  seats  in  the  rear 


ADVERTISING   ON    THE    SCREEN  55 

row  reserved  for  their  use."  Avoid,  wherever  possible, 
the  word  "must"  in  connection  with  house  rules. 

A  useful  slide  where  shows  are  continuous  or  overlap, 
is  the  old  standby:  "The  next  subject  will  be  (insert 
title  here).  If  you  have  already  seen  this  you  have 
witnessed  the  complete  performance."  If  this  slide  is 
used,  throw  on  the  lights  a  moment  and  give  those  who 
wish  to  leave  an  opportunity  to  do  so. 

The  series  slide  is  useful  in  advertising  coming  films. 
Suppose  that  you  have  been  in  the  habit  of  using  some- 
thing like  this : 

The  Smugglers 

A  Big  Three  Reel  Lupex 

Shown  here  Saturday 

Try  instead  a  series  of  short  sentence  slides,  each  line 
of  the  following  being  the  matter  on  a  single  slide: 

$10,000,000  in  diamonds 

And  not  a  cent  of  duty  paid,  but 

Inspector  Davis  (Played  by  Cecil  Cayley) 

Ran  the  swindlers  down. 

The  Smugglers — here  Thursday 

A  Lupex  three-part  thriller. 

Slides  can  be  used  for  sniping  just  as  in  street  work. 
Flash  the  title  of  a  coming  release  several  times  during 
the  performance,  without  any  explanatory  matter.  When 
you  are  ready  to  run  the  explanatory  matter,  the  public 
will  be  familiar  with  the  title  and  ready  to  absorb  the 
facts. 

A  hidden  advertisement  is  found  in  this  variant  to  the 
usual  good  night  slide : 

This  ends  our 

231st 

Exhibition 

Good  night  Pleasant  dreams 


56  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Do  not  try  to  tell  too  much  on  any  one  slide.  Use  three 
or  four  in  series  and  tell  one  fact  to  a  slide  in  reasonably 
large  letters  and  you  will  get  your  message  to  the  patron. 
It  takes  no  longer  to  read  three  short  slides  than  one  long 
one,  and  slides  are  not  costly.  Always  use  a  letter  large 
enough  to  be  read  clearly  and  quickly  by  a  person  stand- 
ing at  the  back  of  the  house. 

Do  not  confine  your  .slide  advertising  to  your  films 
alone.  Your  house  should  be  worth  a  part  of  the  atten- 
tion. Tell  about  it.  If  you  have  a  retiring  room  for 
ladies  say :  "Free  hat  and  hair  pins  and  all  the  little  com- 
forts of  home  in  our  retiring  room.  Upstairs,  to  the 
right."  If  you  have  a  room  for  men  that  is  something 
more  than  a  cubby  hole  say:  "Feel  like  smoking?  Down- 
stairs, on  the  left."  This  is  better  than :  "Gents  retiring 
room  on  the  left." 

Strive  to  give  snap  to  these  announcements.  Be  terse 
and  clever,  but  not  familiar  or  impertinent.  Avoid  the 
use  of  slang  on  slides.  It  looks  different  in  cold  type  and 
lack  the  breeziness  that  spoken  words  may  give  it. 

Tell  about  improvements.  If  you  order  new  chairs, 
tell  that  they  are  coming,  announce  their  arrival,  com- 
ment on  their  installation.  If  you  put  in  new  fans,  in- 
direct lighting,  carpets  or  anything  of  that  sort,  rush  into 
print  on  the  screen  as  well  as  in  the  papers.  Make  them 
take  notice,  they  probably  will,  anyway,  but  take  no 
chances.  The  notice  may  be  casual  and  indifferent. 
Make  them  realize  that  you  have  done  it  to  please  them. 
Frame  your  slide  something  like  this : 

Notice  the  new  hangings. 

We  like  them,  do  you  ? 

We'd  rather  have  you  pleased 

than  be  pleased  ourselves. 

Tell  us. 

Now  the  patron  will  appreciate  the  fact  that  you  are 
striving  to  please  and,  in  a  way,  will  accept  it  as  a  per- 
sonal tribute  to  his  own  pleasure  or  comfort. 

Use  slides  of  the  photoplayers.     This  is  a  most  valu- 


ADVERTISING   ON    THE    SCREEN  57 

able  means  of  screen  publicity.    Run  a  slide:  "He's  here 

tomorrow.    Who?    Why ."    Next  run  a  slide  of  the 

player  and  then:  "Here  tomorrow  in  'The  Hollow  of 
His  Hand.'  A  powerful  romantic  drama  with  just  the 
sort  of  part  he  likes."  The  showing  of  the  portrait  will 
always  mean  more  than  the  mention  of  a  name.  H  you 
have  slides  of  others  in  the  same  cast,  add  another  slide 

reading:   "Supported  by  ,"  and  give  the  others  in 

quick  succession.  Keep  the  slides  in  the  office  and  send 
them  to  the  projection  room  numbered  in  their  proper 
order.  When  not  in  use,  keep  these  in  grooved  boxes, 
either  those  made  for  the  purpose  or  of  home  manufacture 
with  pasteboard  or  cigar  box  septums.  Number  the  slots 
and  keep  a  card  index  of  names.  Where  possible,  get 
slides  without  the  company's  name.  Then  if  the  player 
changes  his  connection  it  saves  the  trouble  of  ripping  the 
slide  apart  and  blocking  out  the  name. 

Another  and  more  novel  use  of  the  screen  is  the  local 
interest  slides.  If  you  are  clever  with  a  camera  or  know 
someone  who  is,  make  portrait  snapshots  of  well  known 
people.  These  should  be  rear  view  street  scenes.  Run 
a  few  the  early  part  of  the  week  and  change  on  Thursday 
for  another  set.  At  the  same  time  give  the  identities  of 
those  in  the  first  set.  If  you  work  up  the  interest  prop- 
erly you  will  not  need  to  give  prizes.  Keep  at  this  as 
long  as  the  interest  lasts.  Then  change  to  something 
else.  Make  pictures  of  points  about  your  town  or  sec- 
tion. Take  a  picture  of  the  vestry  door  of  some  church. 
Anyone  would  recognize  the  church  building  at  a  glance. 
Few  may  be  able  to  locate  just  this  door.  Take  some 
other  prominent  buildings  and  stores ;  just  small  details. 
Then  change  to  birdseye  views  of  people,  shooting  down 
from  second  or  third-story  window. 

Get  some  man  in  the  public  eye,  who  appreciates  keep- 
ing there,  to  pose  for  a  picture.  Placard  the  town  with 
the  announcement  that  on  a  certain  day  the  screen  will 
show  what  the  Hon.  James  Johnson  was  doing  last  Wed- 
nesday at  ten-o'clock.  Hint  at  a  scandal,  without  saying 
anything  direct,  and  show  a  large  audience  the  Honorable 
James  sitting  at  his  desk,  kissing  his  wife  good-bye  or 


58  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

performing  any  innocent  act.  It  will  be  good  advertising 
for  him  as  well  as  for  you,  and  lots  of  people  will  come 
in  the  hope  that  he  will  be  "shown  up." 

Get  out  with  your  camera  on  some  busy  corner  in  the 
afternoon.  Take  a  picture  of  the  crowd,  then  unroll  a 
banner  stating  that  the  picture  can  be  seen  on  your  screen 
the  following  Friday.  Nine-tenths  of  the  crowd  will 
come  just  to  see  what  they  look  like  on  the  screen. 

If  you  cannot  work  a  camera  and  cannot  arrange  with 
some  trustworthy  amateur  who  will  not  want  to  tell  that 
he  knows  all  about  it,  you  may  be  able  to  arrange  with 
some  local  photographer  to  do  the  work  free  or  at  a  re- 
duction in  consideration  of  a  slide  that  reads  "all  pictures 
by  Hendricks."  This  is  permissible  advertising,  since  it 
relates  to  the  house.  If  the  photographer  is  a  hustler 
himself,  you  can  get  up  a  baby  show  announcing  that  all 
photographs  will  be  made  free  by  him.  He'll  make  his 
profit  out  of  the  sales  he  makes  and  you'll  get  the  mothers 
and  their  friends  to  see  the  kiddie  on  the  screen.  Don't 
offer  prizes  or  any  decision,  or  you'll  have  but  one  friend 
among  all  the  mothers  in  town.  Merely  offer  it  as  an 
interesting  display. 

The  day  of  the  local  animated  weekly  is  not  yet  here 
but  you  can  run  slides  of  current  happenings  and  these 
will  interest  more  than  anything  that  can  possibly  be 
brought  in  from  the  outside.  A  picture  of  a  freight 
wreck  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town  will  draw  more  busi- 
ness than  a  passenger  smashup,  with  tremendous  loss  of 
life,  five  hundred  miles  away.  Possibly  half  your  patrons 
will  ihave  seen  the  wreck,  but  they  will  want  to  see  the 
pictures.  The  early  success  of  the  Lumiere  machine  in 
New  York  was  based  on  a  picture  of  the  corner  near 
which  the  theatre  stood. 

And  at  every  show  run  the  standard  fire  slide.  This 
reads: 

Look  around  NOW  and  choose  the  exit  nearest  to  your 
seat.  In  case  of  fire  walk — don't  run — to  that  exit.  Do 
not  try  to  beat  your  neighbor  to  the  street. 


LITHOGRAPHS    AND    BILLBOARDS  59 

CHAPTER  IX. 

LITHOGRAPHS  AND  BILLBOARDS 

What  stock  paper  Is — unwisdom  of  stock  paper — 
where  to  post  paper — following  lines  of  travel — 
proportioning  paper  —  window  frames  —  "A" 
boards — color  combinations. 

Advertising  by  means  of  graphic  representation  is  one 
of  'the  oldest  forms  of  planned  advertising.  It  has  this 
advantage  over  the  use  of  type,  that  a  picture  is  more 
easily  and  quickly  comprehended  than  the  printed  word. 

When  motion  pictures  were  new,  there  were  no  litho- 
graphs to  be  had  for  the  films.  The  only  available 
material  was  the  "stock"  paper  of  the  show  printer. 
Theatrical  printers  generally  obtain  an  order  from  a 
manager  for  a  quantity  of  paper  sufificient  for  a  season. 
This  is  held  by  the  printer  and  shipped  weekly  to  the 
show  points  in  such  quantities  as  may  be  required.  If 
the  show  does  not  complete  its  season  or  does  not  use  up 
the  supply,  the  paper  is  put  "in  stock"  and  sold  to  anyone 
able  to  use  it,  by  covering  over  the  name  of  the  attraction 
with  some  other  title. 

For  a  time  that  was  all  the  Exhibitor  had  to  work  with, 
but  eventually  the  A.  B.  C.  Company,  of  Cleveland,  put 
;.)ut  a  line  of  true-to-the-film  paper  for  the  Licensed  at- 
tractions. It  was  all  one-sheet  size,  and  it  cost  more  than 
double  what  stock  paper  did,  even  though  this  price 
represented  a  loss  that  was  carried  by  the  maker  of  the 
film,  but  it  was  correct. 

Probably  we  shall  never  know  the  hurt  that  was  done 
the  business  in  the  early  days  by  the  injudicious  use  of 
stock  paper.  Exhibitors  thought  the  most  sensational 
scenes  the  most  attractive,  and  a  clean  story  of  rural 
life  might  be  advertised  by  a  river  scene  in  which  one 
man  was  throwing  another  from  a  bridge  while  a  second 


60  PICTURE    THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

pair  engaged  in  a  knife  fight  in  the  water,  and  in  the  fore- 
ground a  black-bearded  pirate  playfully  beat  a  golden 
haired  heroine  over  the  head  with  an  oar.  Naturally 
a  collection  of  half  a  dozen  such  affairs  were  attention 
attracting.  More  persons  saw  the  posters  than  saw  the 
films  and  gradually  the  impression  was  created  that  films 
were  vicious.     After  that  the  censorship! 

Today  paper  may  be  had  for  all  releases  and  for 
features  and  specials  a  layout  of  paper  may  be  had  that 
compares  favorably  with  the  best  display  of  theatrical 
attractions.  The  use  of  house  paper  grows,  but  there  is 
still  too  much  loaning  and  hiring  of  paper,  and  the  same 
dirty  and  fly-blown  one-sheet  may  be  used  in  a  dozen 
different  houses.  This  may  save  the  cost  of  a  one-sheet, 
but  there  is  a  second  angle  to  this  economy.  The  picture 
theatre  has  not  yet  recovered  from  the  black  eye  given 
it  by  the  mismanagement  of  early  days.  It  is  still  re- 
garded by  many  with  suspicion.  Everything  possible 
should  be  done  to  allay  that  suspicion,  and  put  the  pic- 
ture theatres  on  the  same  plane  as  the  dramatic  houses. 
This  can  never  be  done  so  long  as  paper  is  hired  and  the 
whole  advertising  display  suggests  the  makeshift  and  im- 
permanent. 

For  the  business  in  detail  and  the  business  as  a  whole, 
paper  should  be  bought  for  the  use  of  a  single  house.  It 
should  be  hung  or  posted  as  theatrical  companies  hang 
and  paste  their  paper.  Better  ten  sheets  of  paper  the 
property  of  the  house  than  a  hundred  loaned  that  show 
the  effects  of  hard  usage. 

Certain  sorts  of  stock  paper  may  be  used,  such  as  the 
poster  portraits  of  the  players,  the  frames  that  make 
one-sheet  posters  into  three-sheet  stands  and  certain 
standard  readings,  but  here,  too,  the  "Always  a  good 
show"  and  kindied  phrases  have  crept  in.  These  should 
be  avoided.  On  the  other  hand  there  are  now  to  be  had 
many  good  streamers,  such  as  "Today,"  "Coming  Thurs- 
day," and  even  day  and  date  lines,  and  these  are  sold  so 
reasonably  that  it  does  not  pay  to  take  a  paint  pot  and 
marking  brush  and  disfigure  a  thirty-cent  poster  to  save 
the  two  cents  a  strip  will  cost.     Much  of  the  same  text 


LITHOGRAPHS    AND   BILLBOARDS  61 

may  be  had  on  metal  signs  at  small  cost,  that  becomes 
smaller  when  it  is  realized  that  they  will  serve  for  months. 
There  is  no  excuse  for  makeshift  posting.  If  it  cannot 
be  done  well  it  should  be  left  alone,  for  the  negative 
nothingness  of  an  absent  display  is  better  than  the 
positive  damnation  of  poor  paper  badly  posted. 

The  proper  place  for  pictorial  paper  is  away  from  the 
house.  Your  billboards  are  your  messengers.  You  can 
appeal  to  the  man  who  passes  your  house  with  other 
attractions.  The  posters  should  be  out  doing  missionary 
work.  One  exception  to  this  point  is  in  the  case  of  a  fire 
alley  through  which  the  house  is  dismissed.  Here  it  is 
proper  to  paste  one  or  more  stands.  If  the  passage  is 
not  well  lighted,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  give  direct  illumina- 
tion to  the  paper  by  means  of  incandescent  lamps  in  re- 
flectors placed  above  the  sheets. 

In  planning  a  poster  campaign  the  details  must  be 
studied  with  the  utmost  care.  Effective  work  cannot  be 
done  by  placing  the  boards  indiscriminately.  You  cannot 
afford  to  make  such  a  showing  of  paper  that  you  can 
appeal  through  mass  as  a  circus  does.  You  must  make 
each  sheet  more  than  pay  for  itself,  for  you  have  neither 
the  resources  nor  the  capacity  of  the  circus.  Determine 
first  the  number  of  boards,  then  the  area  of  distribution. 
Let  this  guide  in  selecting  locations. 

To  decide  the  area  these  four  factors  should  be  con- 
sidered : 

The  territory  from  which  you  can  actually  draw. 

The  competition  in  that  territory. 

The  nearness  of  that  competition  to  your  house. 

The  amount  of  business  it  is  possible  to  draw  from 
opposition  territory. 

The  territory  from  which  you  can  actually  draw  is 
limited  only  by  the  transportation  facilities.  This  may 
include  neighboring  towns,  other  parts  of  a  city,  or  may 
be  confined  to  your  own  town  or  locality.  You  are  justi- 
fied in  paying  as  high  as  nine  cents  apiece  for  dimes  you 
cannot  buy  for  eight,  but  it  is  foolish  to  pay  eleven  cents 
for  a  ten-cent  piece.  If  you  post  a  bill  at  a  cost  of  sixty 
cents   and  draw  but  fifty  cents   in   admissions,  you   are 


62  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

paying  more  for  the  money  than  it  is  worth.  You  might 
post  that  same  paper  in  some  other  section  at  a  cost  of 
forty-eight  cents  and  draw  the  same  half  dollar  and  show 
four  per  cent,  profit;  which  is  better  than  a  twenty  per 
cent.  loss. 

It  does  not  pay  to  go  too  far  afield  save  with  a  most 
important  attraction.  You  cannot,  for  example,  draw  a 
prospect  three  miles  to  your  house  if  there  are  two  houses 
closer  to  home  with  bills  of  about  the  equal  value.  You 
can  do  it  with  an  unusual  attraction,  perhaps,  but  as  a 
rule  the  money  you  spend  getting  this  prospect  can  be 
better  spent  closer  to  home.  On  the  other  hand,  in  a 
small  town,  fed  by  smaller  towns,  perhaps  paper  in  those 
feeders  will  bring  prospects  past  their  smaller  home  town 
show  and  past  other  places  in  your  town.  The  paper 
has  attracted  them;  they  are  coming  to  your  house  and 
with  this  definite  end  in  view  they  will  ignore  other 
houses  on  the  way. 

If  the  opposition  houses  are  not  too  close  to  your  own 
it  will  be  better  to  limit  your  posting  to  a  point  just 
inside  the  opposition  territory  and  direct  more  of  the 
poster  appropriation  to  parts  of  the  town  to  which  you 
have  a  clearer  approach.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  other 
house  is  run  along  lines  that  cause  dissatisfaction,  it 
would  be  well  to  invade  the  territory  and  draw  the 
patronage  to  your  own  house. 

In  deciding  the  placing  of  the  boards,  local  conditions 
must  govern.  Stick  to  the  traveled  lines.  If  your  house 
is  in  a  town  in  which  many  go  to  a  larger  city  to  work, 
post  around  the  railroad  station  and  the  electric  lines. 
If  the  town  is  self-contained,  work  to  the  business  streets 
and  the  main  residence  section.  In  a  commuting  town 
one  bill  at  the  railroad  station  may  be  worth  a  dozen  m 
the  back  lots. 

The  schools  should  be  looked  after,  for  the  children 
feel  most  strongly  the  appeal  of  pictorial  paper.  In  the 
case  of  a  school  or  factory,  post  on  both  sides,  to  get  all 
who  approach  the  building. 

If  you  post  along  the  lines  of  street  car  traffic  figure 
where  the  bills  may  be  seen  to  the  best  advantage.    This 


LITHOGRAPHS   AND   BILLBOARDS  63 

is  generally  facing  transfer  points  where  the  passengers 
are  required  to  wait  for  a  connecting  car,  but  if  the  con- 
nections are  close  it  will  be  better  to  go  up  or  down  the 
line,  because  then  passengers  will  have  no  time  to  read. 

Before  you  erect  your  boards  study  conditions.  See 
where  the  boards  will  reach  the  greatest  number  of  per- 
sons and  build  there.  Metal  boards  are  best,  even  though 
they  are  expensive.  If  wooden  boards  are  used,  have 
them  well  crossed-braced  to  prevent  warping,  and  give 
them  a  couple  of  coats  of  paint,  front  and  back,  to  the 
same  end.  Frame  them  with  moulding  that  will  just 
permit  the  bill  to  set  in  nicely  and  at  the  top  have  either 
a  gutter  or  a  ledge  to  carry  off  the  water  when  it  rains. 
Posters  are  pasted  from  the  bottom  upward,  as  shingles 
are  put  on  a  roof  from  eaves  to  ridge.  They  will  shed 
water  reasonably  well  except  at  the  top.  Once  start  the 
top  sheet  and  the  rest  will  quickly  soak  off. 

In  painting  the  frames  use  some  neutral  color,  a  dull 
red,  a  slate  gray  or  drab.  It  must  be  a  lifeless  color  that 
will  not  fight  the  brighter  colors  of  the  bill.  Make  them 
distinctive.  This  is  best  done  by  displaying  the  house 
trade  mark  above.  Then  one  sees  the  picture  and  the 
mark  and  knows  at  once  the  house.  Date  the  days  on 
your  bills.  Do  not  say  "Coming  Wednesday,"  but  "Wed- 
nesday, the  13th."  This  gives  you  two  chances  at  the 
prospect.  He  may  remember  the  day  or  the  date.  Bill- 
boards on  vacant  lots  should  be  well  braced  against  wind 
storms  and  small  boys.  They  should  slant  forward  two 
or  three  inches  out  of  plumb.  The  slant  will  not  be 
sufficient  to  prevent  the  bill  from  being  seen  and  it  will 
help  to  keep  the  water  off  the  paper  when  it  rains.  A 
picture  theatre  cannot  re-post  the  paper  after  a  storm 
without  reordering.  It  is  better  to  guard  well  against 
a  "wash-down." 

In  small  towns  locations  will  not  cost  much.  The  pic- 
ture theatre  is  regarded  more  or  less  as  a  public  institu- 
tion, and  generally  a  couple  of  seats  a  week  will  be  suf- 
ficient. In  cities  locations  are  generally  controlled  by 
some  firm  of  bill  posters  and  there  is  a  charge  of  so  much 
a  sheet  per  week  or  month. 


64  PICTURE    THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

If  you  do  your  own  pasting  you  require  a  paste  bucket, 
a  paste  brush,  a  smoothing  brush  and  knife.  There  are 
so  many  good  paste  powders  to  be  had  that  it  seldom 
pays  to  boil  your  own  paste.  Generally  it  may  be  had 
of  the  paper  hanger.  Paste  the  board,  not  the  sheet,  and 
post  the  lower  sheet  first,  smoothing  down  with  the  short, 
stiff  bristled  smoothing  brush.  When  the  board  is  pasted 
run  the  knife  around  the  edges  to  trim  off  the  surplus. 
When  the  layers  of  paper  become  too  thick  scrape  off 
with  a  wide  bladed  putty  knife  and  start  over  again. 

If  you  cannot  afford  three-sheet  boards  or  larger 
stands,  try  first  with  some  one-sheet  boards  set  against 
buildings  in  good  locations.  If  the  sidewalk  space  per- 
mits, the  "A"  board  is  good.  This  is  a  pair  of  boards 
hinged  at  the  top  and  provided  with  a  cross-brace  near 
the  bottom.  The  boards  are  set  at  an  angle  suggested  by 
the  letter  for  which  they  are  named,  and  the  cross-brace 
completes  the  outline.  It  is  best  to  hinge  this  cross  piece 
at  one  end  and  to  set  in  a  cleat  at  the  top  of  the  same 
thickness.  This  will  permit  the  boards  to  be  folded  flat. 
If  they  are  hinged  at  the  top  without  this  batten  the  brace 
will  prevent  its  closing. 

If,  for  any  reason,  it  is  not  practicable  to  paste  these 
boards,  provide  doors  covered  with  coarse  mesh  chicken 
netting.  This  will  hold  the  paper  smooth  and  yet  not 
cover  much  of  the  surface. 

For  indoor  work  a  frame  is  better  than  merely  hanging 
the  poster  in  the  window.  As  there  is  no  exposure  to 
the  elements,  soft  pine  will  do  for  these.  Stain  reddish 
brown  or  grey  with  dye  and  wax  with  the  preparation 
that  comes  for  this  purpose.  You  can  do  the  staining  and 
polishing  yourself.  For  window  work  aim  to  get  paper 
that  may  be  quickly  seen.  Lengthy  printed  announce- 
ments will  not  be  studied.  Legends  must  be  terse  and 
snappy. 

Do  not  forget  that  many  traveling  men  are  confirmed 
picture  fans.  Get  a  frame  into  the  lobbies  of  the  hotels. 
If  you  have  the  weekly  program  in  poster  form,  use  that. 
If  not,  use  a  single  attractive  lithograph  for  the  Saturday 
attraction  and  insert  a  program   for  the  remainder   of 


LITHOGRAPHS   AND    BILLBOARDS  65 

the  week.  Do  not  trust  to  a  permanent  general  statement. 
The  traveling  man  wants  to  know  just  what  he  can  see 
on  a  given  night.  Tell  him  what  he  can  see,  by  day  and 
date,  and  just  how  to  get  to  the  house.  Have  a  special 
card  printed  that  explains  that  the  Gem  is  two  blocks 
south  of  the  hotel  and  one  block  east. 

If  your  house  is  removed  from  the  business  center  of 
a  town,  arrange  with  some  druggist  or  confectioner  for  a 
permanent  display  downtown.  If  you  can  get  the  side 
wall  of  some  store  on  an  alley,  use  this  space  for  posters 
and  bulletins.  Then  advertise  that  full  information  as 
to  current  shows  may  be  had  from  the  window  of 
Edwards'  drug  store  or  on  the  side  of  the  Busy  Bee 
Confectionery.  The  advertisement  will  help  the  store 
and  the  store  will  help  you. 

In  ordering  paper  it  is  well  to  divide  it  between  the 
shows,  but  a  feature  should  have  more  paper  than  a 
regular  bill  and  it  should  be  posted  further  in  advance. 

It  has  been  argued  that  it  does  not  pay  to  advertise 
even  features  too  far  in  advance,  as  the  knowledge  of 
the  coming  feature  will  keep  patronage  away  on  other 
and  earlier  nights.  This  sounds  like  logic  but  it  is  not. 
Few  regular  fans  will  be  influenced  by  the  feature.  They 
are  used  to  going  two  or  three  times  a  week  and  they 
will  do  so.  They  are  not  the  ones  for  whom  your  bill- 
board advertising  is  primarily  intended.  The  man  you 
want  to  reach  is  the  casual  and  indifferent  patron ;  the 
man  who  is  not  familiar  with  your  house  and  its  screen 
announcements,  and  who  must  be  coaxed  with  the  un- 
usual. To  him  this  poster  display  should  be  directed. 
Of  course  paper  does  appeal  to  your  regular  patronage 
and  serves  to  hold  up  interest,  but  these  can  be  reached 
in  other  and  more  ample  ways.  The  paper  gets  the  man 
who  does  not  ordinarily  feel  an  interest  in  current  pro- 
grams. For  this  reason  you  should  order  the  most  at- 
tractive paper  or  the  most  catchy  titles. 

The  permanent  painted  signs  are  seldom  of  value  to  a 
picture  theatre.  They  look  pretty  and  enterprishig,  but 
there  is  no  chance  to  make  frequent  change  and  show  the 
variety  of  your  program. 


66  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Stretchers,  which  are  wooden  frame  works  covered 
with  cheap  musHn,  do  well  enough  for  one-sheet  boards 
where  they  will  not  be  subject  to  rough  usage,  and  may 
even  be  used  for  three-sheets.  They  are  bad  around  the 
house,  particularly  if  they  are  merely  leaned  against  the 
wall,  for  they  are  so  light  that  they  are  easily  blown 
over  and  become  an  annoyance  instead  of  an  advertise- 
ment. If  your  house  has  plenty  of  blank  wall  space,  it 
might  be  well  to  run  a  few  three-sheet  stretchers  on  the 
front.  Have  signs  permanently  affixed  to  the  wall  for 
"Today,"  "Tomorrow,"  and  "Coming,"  the  "Today" 
signs  being  nearest  the  entrance.  Below  these  affix  the 
galvanized  hangers  used  for  full  size  window  fly  screens 
and  attach  the  hooks  to  the  stretchers.  Space  all  hangers 
exactly  the  same  distance  apart  and  the  stretchers  will  be 
interchangable  and  capable  of  being  moved  from 
"Coming"  to  "Today."  Put  brass  screw  eyes  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  wall  and  hooks  on  the  frames.  This 
will  keep  the  stretchers  from  blowing  out.  By  having 
the  stretchers  interchangeable,  much  bother  will  be 
avoided  and  it  entails  no  more  work  in  preparing. 

Never  blank  out  with  white  or  colored  paper  a  three- 
sheet  board  for  a  one-sheet  bill,  or  an  eight-sheet  for  a 
three.  If  you  cannot  properly  cover  a  board,  hide  it 
somewhere  until  you  can.  Nothing  looks  worse  than  a 
lonesome  three-sheet  in  an  eight-sheet  space.  It  sug- 
gests that  the  program  advertised  is  not  up  to  standard 
since  it  does  not  cover  the  customary  space. 

It  may  seem  that  undue  stress  has  been  laid  upon  neat- 
ness and  orderly  arrangement,  but  this  is  not  so.  Neat- 
ness may  not  be  consciously  noticed,  BUT  LACK  OF  IT 
WILL  BE  COMMENTED  ON. 

If  you  have  your  own  poster  printing  done,  remember 
that  no  one  is  going  to  take  the  trouble  to  hurtle  across 
the  street  to  read  it.  You  must  get  them  where  they 
stand.  Have  some  lines  so  large  that  they  can  be  read 
across  the  street  and  the  remainder  sufficiently  prominent 
to  be  read  across  the  sidewalk.  Let  the  larger  type  tell 
as  much  of  the  story  as  possible  and  the  small  letters 
supplement  this.    White  space  is  better  on  a  poster  than 


LITHOGRAPHS    AND    BILLBOARDS  67 

a  lot  of  two  and  three-line  stuff  that  cannot  be  read. 
Talk  in  terse  sentences  but  say  something  with  a  meaning. 
In  Figure  12  is  shown  a  suggestion  for  a  poster.  It  says 
too  much  for  a  poster.  To  get  it  in  requires  a  smaller 
type  than  is  practicable. 


Summer  Is  Here 

But  never  mind 
It's  always  cool  at  the 

Picture  Play 


There  is  ai  palm-leaf  fan  to  every  scat,  but  these  are 
never  used  because  the  house  system  of  ventilation  is 
so  perfect  that  there  is  no  need  for  them. 

Always    Cool 
Always  Comfortable 

Always  a  good  show 

This  week,  for  instance,  we  have  the  pick 
of  current  releases.  Monday  there  is  a 
three-reel  special  that  is  above  the  average. 
Wednesday  we  have  a  four-reel  thriller  and 
Friday  we  change  to  a  Mogous  Masterpiece. 

Come  and  cool  off 


Figure  12. — An  overcrowded  poster. 

That  might  be  all  right  for  newspaper  advertising  or 
program  work,  where  it  will  be  read,  but  he  who  runs 
must  read  quickly.  Make  it  easy  for  him.  Compare 
Figure  12  with  Figure  13.  Note  the  strength  of  the  dis- 
play and  the  force  in  the  lines. 

If  you  have  your  own  printing  done  get  a  block  for 
the  name  of  the  house  and  always  run  this  at  the  top  of 
the  bill.  If  you  have  a  trade  mark,  work  that  into  the 
block.  Make  it  something  that  will  tell  at  a  glance  that 
it  is  advertising  for  the  Palace  and  not  for  some  com- 
peting house.  As  far  as  possible,  keep  the  display  to 
the  upper  two-thirds  of  the  poster,  with  one  strong  line 
at  or  near  the  bottom  to  keep  it  from  being  top  heavy. 


68  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

The  simplest  form  of  poster  is  black  on  white,  but 
the  black  is  rather  harsh.  Deep  blue  or  green  will  show 
as  well  and  not  be  as  hard.  Brown  on  white  is  not  so 
good,  but  better  than  black.  Bright  red  on  yellow  is 
striking,  and  so  is  black  on  bright  red.  Red  letters  on  a 
black  ground  is  good  at  close  range,  but  for  poster  work 
it  is  not  clear  enough  to  be  seen  across  the  street.  For 
two-color  printings  try  red  and  green  on  white,  or  red 
and  black  on  light  yellow.  Brown  on  yellow  is  a  pleasing 
combination,  though  not  a  strong  one,  and  black  on  a 
vivid  light  green  is  also  good.  White  letters  on  a  black 
ground  should  be  left  to  the  undertakers. 

In  the  United  States  the  standard  is  the  "sheet,"  which 
is  always  28  by  42  inches.     One-sheets  may  be  printed 


Hot? 

Why  Stay  So? 

It's  Cool  at  the 

Picture    Play 

We  have 

500  Useless  Fans 

and  a 

Tame  Cyclone 

Cool  off 

Stay  cool 


Figure  13. — An  example  of  a 
poster. 


either  the  long  or  short  way.  Stands  of  three,  four,  six, 
eight,  and  larger  sizes,  are  that  many  sheets  pasted  up 
the  long  way.  Above  three  sheets  the  sheets  arc  pasted 
four  high  by  a  certain  number  of  units  wide,  the  general 
sizes  being  twenty-fours  and  twenty-eights. 


LITHOGRAPHS    AND    BILLBOARDS  69 

Half  sheets  are  twenty-eight  by  twenty-one  inches. 
There  are  many  smaller  sizes  used  but  here  there  are  no 
set  sizes,  the  paper  being  printed  as  it  cuts  to  the  best 
advantage. 

"Snipes"  are  long  narrow  strips  printed  on  cheap  white 
or  colored  paper.  Sometimes  they  carry  the  name  of 
the  house  and  title  of  a  play,  but  often  they  carry  nothing 
but  the  title.  They  are  pasted  on  boxes,  barrels,  dead 
walls,  ash  cans  or  even  the  curbs,  from  which  they  take 
their  name  of  "gutter  snipes."  They  are  not  expected 
to  last  very  long  or  tell  very  much,  but  are  useful  in 
supplementing  the  permanent  display  by  getting  the  title 
everywhere  for  a  short  time. 

English  sizes  are  given  here  for  the  information  of  the 
Exhibitor,  though  most  English  subjects  are'  given 
American  made  posters  when  brought  over  here.  They 
are,  in  inches : 

Crown,  15  X  20. 

Demy,  17j/^x22^. 

Royal,  20'  x  25. 

Double  Crown,  long  folio,  10  x  30'. 

Double  Demy,  long  folio,  llVt  >^  35. 

Double  Royal,  thirds,  13^  x  25. 

Double  Crown,  20x30'. 

Two-sheet,  Double  Crown,  30  x  40. 

Three-sheet,  Double  Crown,  30  x  GO. 

Four-sheet,  Double  Crown,  40'xG0. 

Six-sheet,  Double  Crown,  40  x  90. 

Double  Demy,  22i4  x  35. 

Two-sheet,  Double  Demy,  35  x  45. 

Three-sheet,  Double  Demy,  35  x  G73^. 

Four-sheet,  Double  Demy,  45  x  70. 

Six-sheet,  Double  Demy,  45  x  105. 


70  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


CHAPTER  X. 

DOING  PRESS  WORK 

Press  work  most  valuable  advertising — how  to  write 
press  notices — how  to  use  daily  happenings — how 
to  "plant"  stories — to  manufacture  news — 
writing  to  attract — helping  the  papers. 

Press  work  is  a  most  valuable  form  of  advertising ;  not 
because  it  is  free,  but  because  it  is  accepted  as  news  and 
is  read  as  news  by  those  who  take  little  or  no  interest  in 
the  frank  advertisement.  It  follows,  then,  that  good 
press  work  sounds  like  news  and  not  like  puffery. 

Doing  press  work  is  at  once  the  simplest  and  most 
adroit  form  of  the  advertising  art.  There  are  two  classes 
of  men  who  do  it  well :  those  who  do  not  try  to  and  those 
who  have  fully  mastered  the  intricacies  of  the  language 
and  have  come  again  to  the  simplicities  of  speech.  In 
between  there  are  thousands  who  try  to  do  press  work 
and  who  seem  to  think  that  the  greater  the  number  of 
superlative  adjectives  the  more  valuable  will  be  the 
product.  This  is  precisely  the  reverse  of  true.  The  real 
press  notice  must  read  enough  like  news  to  seem  to  be 
news.  It  must  be  written  in  the  form  of  news,  with  the 
same  sobriety  of  adjective. 

We  will  suppose  that.  Jim  Harrington,  a  Nebraska 
small  town  Exhibitor,  goes  to  his  metropolis  to  close 
some  deals.  The  press  agent,  if  he  has  one,  might  send 
in  something  like  this : 

"Genial  and  popular  James  Harrington,  the  able  and 
alert  manager  and  proprietor  of  the  beautiful  and  highly 
successful  Swank  theatre,  Blankville's  handsomest  and 
most  popular  Palace  of  Photoplay,  journeyed  to  the 
Great  Metropolis  yesterday  in  search  of  new  and  even 
more  magnificent  and  spectacular  filmic  masterpieces  of 
dramatic  art   with  which   to  regale  his  large   and   ever 


DOING   PRESS   WORK  71 

growing  clientele  of  patrons,  drawn  from  the  very  highest 
social  circles  of  Blankville.  On  his  return,  via  Pullman, 
last  night,  he  permitted  himself  to  be  coaxed  into  ad- 
mitting that  he  had,  at  an  enormous  cost,  closed  contracts 
for  a  series  of  dazzlingly  brilliant  multiple  reel  creations 
of  the  leading  directors  of  the  foremost  ataliers  of  the 
world.  The  first  tribute  to  be  laid  on  the  altar  of  loyal 
patronage  will  be  "Lost  in  the  Desert  Snows,"  the 
supreme  and  crowning  effort  of  the  world-famous  Bunko 
Beauties  Company.  This  is  a  five-act  drama,  in  the  pro- 
duction of  which  over  one  million  dollars  were  expended 
In  spite  of  the  fact  that  the  daily  rental  of  this  stupendous 
sensation  represents  a  sum  in  excess  of  the  weekly  re- 
ceipts of  the  Swank,  there  will  be  no  advance  in  prices. 
Manager  Harrington  generously  and  whole  heartedly 
offers  this  mind-stunning  and  colossal  triumph  as  a  free 
gift  to  his  loyal  friends  who  have  aided  him  in  making 
the  Swank  one  of  the  most  successful  amusement  enter- 
prises in  the  country.   There  will'  be  no  advance  in  prices." 

Should  that  get  in  the  paper  it  might  tickle  Harrington 
almost  half  to  death,  but  unless  he  owns  the  local  editor 
body  and  soul,  it  will  not  go  in.  The  editor  will  probably 
say  a  few  things  under  his  breath,  try  to  pick  the  story 
out  of  the  adjectives  with  a  blue  pencil,  give  up  the  idea 
and  write  something  like  this : 

James  Harrington,  of  the  Swank  theatre,  went  to 
Omaha  yesterday  to  book  some  new  attractions  for  his 
theatre.  The  first  of  these  will  be  "Lost  in  the  Desert 
Snows."     It  will  be  shown  at  regular  prices. 

This  notice  will  do  Harrington  more  good  than  the 
original  notice.  It  states  new  facts  about  a  person  known 
to  the  reader  and  it  is  not  too  long  to  be  read.  It  might 
have  been  longer,  for  that  matter,  and  it  probably  would 
have  been,  had  the  original  notice  been  written  in  such 
a  way  that  it  could  be  run  with  minor  corrections,  but 
where  it  has  to  be  reconstructed  it  will  be  kept  as  brief 
as  possible.  But  in  spite  of  its  brevity  it  will  do  more 
good  than  the  other,  because  it  is  something  that  is  not  a 
palpable  lie.  If  something  more  like  this  had  been 
written,  it  might  have  been  passed  in  its  entirety: 


n  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Jim  Harrington  went  to  Omaha  yesterday  to  get  some 
attractions  for  his  Swank  theatie.  He  has  booked  up 
a  number  of  big  things,  most  of  which  will  be  shown  at 
regular  prices.  The  first  of  the  new  offerings  will  be  the 
Bunko  Beauties'  five-part  spectacle,  "Lost  in  the  Desert 
Snows."  The  company  announced  that  they  spent  a 
million  dollars  on  the  subject,  but  Jim  says  he  thinks 
that  they  may  have  cheated  twenty-five  or  thirty  cents. 
He  saw  it  run  off,  though,  and  says  it  is  filled  with  thrills. 

This  gives  the  same  facts  but  in  more  ample  form  and 
with  a  hint  of  a  smile  in  the  valuation  of  the  production. 
It  is  easier  stuff  to  read  than  the  more  elaborate  first 
version,  and  it  is  easier  to  write,  as  well.  Any  man  can  do 
that  who  can  write  a  letter.  Harrington  might  have 
written  a  friend : 

"I  went  to  Omaha  yesterday  to  look  for  some  new 
stuff  and  picked  up  quite  a  lot.  The  first  thing  I  get  is 
'Lost  in  the  Desert  Snows,'  a  Bunko  Beauties.  They  say 
it  cost  a  million.  That's  foolish,  but  I  saw  the  reels  run 
and  it  surely  does  look  like  a  lot  of  money." 

If  Harrington  can  write  that  sort  of  a  letter  he  can 
write  the  proper  sort  of  press  notice,  but  tell  him  it  was 
a  press  notice  and  he  would  probably  swear  he  could  not 
write  one. 

That  Jim  Harrington  went  to  Omaha  is  just  as  much 
news  as  though  Ben  Brown  or  Sam  Smith  had  made  the 
trip.  That  he  went  after  films  is  just  as  much  a  matter 
of  news  as  that  Smith  went  after  a  stock  of  shoes  or 
that  Brown  went  to  dispose  of  some  hogs.  Persons  who 
saw  him  at  the  train  and  asked  where  he  was  going  will 
want  to  see  it  in  the  paper,  to  be  sure  that  the  paper  is 
giving  them  all  the  news.  The  small  town  paper,  the 
larger  town  papers,  the  suburban  and  section  paper,  and 
even  the  dailies  of  the  smaller  cities,  realize  the  value 
of  local  news  and  are  anxious  to  get  in  as  many  names 
as  possible.  That  Jim  went  to  Omaha  is  news.  That 
he  will  have  "Lost  in  the  Desert  Snows"  is  also  news, 
though  less  interesting  than  the  trip  as  a  whole. 

In  the  same  way  if  Billy  Brown,  the  usher,  sprains  his 
wrist,  it  is  news.    The  fact  that  he  ushers  at  the  Swank 


DOING    PRESS   WORK  IZ 

is  news  in  that  it  identifies  him.  Mention  of  the  Swank 
brings  the  house  once  more  to  the  attention  of  the  reader. 
He  comes  gradually  to  accept  the  Swank  as  a  local  in- 
stitution, and  the  more  often  he  sees  the  name  the  more 
familiar  it  becomes  to  him.  If  Alice  Anderson  goes  to 
a  conservatory  of  music;  it  is  news.  If  she  was  pianist 
at  the  Swank;  that  is  news.  If  new  chairs  are  being  put 
in  or  the  house  painted,  it  is  just  as  much  news  as  that 
Henry  Henjes  is  repairing  his  hen  house  or  painting 
his  fence.  Get  mentioned  as  often  as  possible  without 
seeming  to  seek  it.  The  mention  of  the  house,  without 
mention  of  a  film,  will  help  the  house  in  a  different  and 
more  permanent  way. 

It  is  an  excellent  plan  to  look  out  for  news  for  the 
reporter.  Get  your  people  trained  to  collect  news  items 
about  your  patrons.  Tell  these-  facts  to  the  reporter  and 
when  you  want  a  notice  he  will  remember  how  you  have 
helped  him  out  and  he  will  stretch  your  mention  as  much 
as  he  can  and  urge  the  editor  to  give  it  good  position. 
It  pays  just  as  well  to  stand  in  with  the  reporters  as  it 
does  to  be  solid  with  the  editor  himself.  He  can  be  used 
for  big  stuff  and  the  lesser  lights  will  look  after  the 
small  items.  Watch  for  items  and  pass  them  along.  Pay 
for  your  own  items  with  similar  coin. 

It  is  easy  to  "plant"  an  occasional  story.  Borrow  a 
small  glass  showcase  from  some  store  keeper.  Borrow 
a  roll  of  commercial  film  from  your  exchange  and  tumble 
it  loose  into  the  case.  Prepare  a  little  card  telling  about 
the  film  and  put  the  case  in  the  lobby  with  the  card  well 
displayed.  Then  send  for  the  reporter  and  get  him  to 
run  an  item  about  it.  Give  him  facts  enough  about  films 
in  general  to  make  a  column.  Never  mind  about  your 
own  stuff,  just  talk  film.  People  will  read  about  film  in 
general  and  think  about  your  film  in  particular,  if  your 
name  is  mentioned,  as  it  will  be.  You  can  probably  buy 
a  reel  of  old  commercial  for  a  couple  of  dollars  and  after 
displaying  the  film  for  a  few  days  you  can  cut  it  up 
for  distribution. 

If  you  order  a  new  projection  machine,  let  it  stand  in 
the  lobby  or  the  foyer  for  a  couple  of  days  and  be  on 


74  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

hand  to  answer  questions,  first  making  certain  that  you 
will  be  able  to  answer  by  reading  up.  Get  the  reporter 
to  write  it  up.  Offer  to  borrow  a  cut  of  the  machine. 
Tell  how  superior  it  is  to  all  others  and  how  the  best  i? 
none  too  good  for  your  projection. 

You  may  think  a  projection  machine  something  not 
worth  more  than  a  two-line  mention,  but  if  you  go  at 
it  right  you  can  make  it  good  for  a  column  of  talk.  Cul- 
tivate the  instinct  for  news.  One  Exhibitor  turned  a 
house  sign  upside  down.  Then  he  went  in  and  wrote 
about  the  hundreds  who  had  stopped  to  tell  of  the  mis- 
take, and  of  others  who  had  telephoned  in.  By  the  time 
he  had  the  story  finished  the  passersby  had  already  begun 
to  make  it  true.  Many  Exhibitors,  if  their  signs  were 
accidentally  reversed,  would  have  thanked  the  first  in- 
formant and  have  righted  the  sign,  but  the  born  presg 
agent  deliberaely  turned  it  upside  down  to  invite  com- 
ment and  anticipated  his  story. 

Now  and  then  a  story  may  be  manufactured.  This 
takes  rather  more  experience  and  it  is  necessary  to  work 
with  care.  If  you  send  out  a  story  of  how  your  box 
office  was  broken  into  by  a  burglar  with  a  brick,  you 
cannot  very  well  show  the  burglar,  but  you  can  offer  the 
broken  glass  and  the  brick  in  evidence.  The  glass  may 
have  been  broken  in  getting  out  the  lobby  signs,  but 
if  no  one  but  yourself  and  the  doorman  knows  this, 
the  fact  will  do  no  harm. 

Sometimes  the  film  itself  will  supply  a  news  item.  One 
manager  noticed  that  there  was  a  bad  fall  in  a  picture. 
Here  is  an  example  of  an  actual  use  of  such  an  item : 

I  is  not  often  that  an  audience  at  a  moving  picture 
show  gets  to  see  a  real  accident  happening  in  the  picture, 
but  this  is  what  happens  in  the  picture  entitled  "Black 
Snake's  Revenge,"  which  is  shown  for  the  last  time  today 
at  the  Bijou  Dream  Theatre. 

The  picture  is  a  story  of  the  West  and  shows  the 
vengeance  of  Black  Snake,  an  Indian,  on  the  rest  of  his 
tribe,  by  poisoning  the  drinking  water.  He  is  discovered 
and  the  braves  of  the  nation  chase  him.    The  chase  leads 


DOING    PRESS   WORK  75 

over  mountains  and  through  valleys  and  just  as  the  riders 
are  coming  over  the  brow  of  a  hill  one  of  the  horses  is 
seen  to  stumble  and  fall,  carrying  his  rider  with  him  to 
the  ground,  where  they  both  lie  throughout  the  picture. 

Manager  Hetterick  says  he  is  confident  that  the  ac- 
cident is  a  real  one  and  added  that  it  was  the  only  time 
in  his  experience  as  a  theatre  manager  that  he  had  seen 
anything  of  the  sort. 

The  first  time  you  use  this  it  is  good  press  work.  The 
second  time  it  is  a  fake.  Use  it  but  once  and  then  think 
up  something  else  for  the  second  time.  Read  the  notes 
about  the  players.  If  it  is  announced  that  Harold 
Hanson  was  almost  killed  while  making  a  scene  for  "His 
Third  Revenge,"  make  a  note  of  the  trade  paper  in  which 
the  item  appears  and  get  the  editor  to  run  a  line.  Quote 
from  the  trade  publication  to  back  up  your  own  state- 
ment, and  paste  the  item  itself  on  your  bulletin  board,  if 
you  have  one.  Of  course  if  you  tab  up  every  accident 
you'll  presently  overwork  this  stunt,  but  this  is  just  a  hint. 

Another  way  to  get  press  work  is  to  "copper"  other 
items.  If  "Pro  Bono  Publico,"  or  "Constant  Reader," 
writes  the  paper  that  film  stories  are  getting  poor,  come 
back  at  him  in  a  nice  way.  For  that  matter  there  is 
nothing  to  prevent  you  from  getting  a  friend  to  send  in 
the  letter  making  a  mild  kick  on  some  subject  that  in- 
terests you  and  then  getting  in  yourself  with  a  strong 
reply.  One  Exhibitor  has  done  this  repeatedly  and  has 
presented  his  points  in  a  way  he  never  could  in  an  ad- 
vertisement. In  writing  remember  that  abuse  makes 
sympathy  for  the  abused,  but  that  only  the  clown  likes 
being  laughed  at.  You  will  not  only  get  the  free  adver- 
tising, but  you  will  be  recognized  as  a  man  who  respects 
his  business. 

Many  newspapers  now  run  a  regular  photoplay  de- 
partment. Others  would,  could  they  get  the  material. 
Offer  either  to  write  the  department  or  give  some  staff 
writer  access  to  your  material.  You  can  get  over  many 
items  about  your  house  and  your  films  without  seeming 
to  advertise. 


76  PICTURE    THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Press  work  for  the  films  is  necessary  and  one  of  the 
chief  reasons  for  the  display  advertising  is  that  it  is 
supposed  to  carry  with  it  some  reading  mention.  Generally 
you  must  write  these  yourself,  and  it  should  be  your  aim 
to  make  them  as  much  like  reading  matter  and  as  little 
like  puffery  as  possible. 

Much  depends  on  the  opening  line.  Avoid  commence- 
ments such  as : 

Another  splendid  program  is  offered- 


Manager  Brown  has  exceeded  himself 

Brought  to  Bay  at  the  Majestic  tomorrow 

These  will  not  serve  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
casual  reader  who  is  looking  for  news  items,  yet  he  is 
the  man  whom  you  must  need  to  reach.  You  must  get 
him  started  before  he  senses  the  trap.  Lead  off  with 
something  like  this : 

"Gold  dollars  for  dimes  are  a  poor  jjargain  against 
five  dollar  bills  for  ten  cent  pieces,  but  if  the  stars  to  be 
seen  on  any  one  of  the  programs  at  the  Gem  next  week 
were  to  be  presented  in  the  flesh  in  a  single  entertainment 
the  management  would  have  to  charge  five  dollars  a  seat 
in  the  large  cities  to  break  even  en  the  cost  of  his  com- 
pany. Take  Monday,  for  instance :  Miss  June  Judd  and 
Harold  Housemover,  both  former  stars,  head  a  section 
of  the  Victory  company  in  a  strongly  dramatic  story, 
"Pursued  by  Fate,"  in  which  several  sensational  scenes 
occur.  Then  there  are  Miss  Helen  Hawker,  John  Jen- 
kins and  little  Tommy  Judd  in  "Swept  by  the  Cyclone." 
It  cost  a  dollar  a  head  last  season  to  see  Tommy  in 
"Little  Lord  Faultleroy"  at  the  Opera  House.  He  is 
the  lesser  of  these  three  stars.  All  three  are  seen  in  a 
story  based  on  the  cyclone  at  Kenilworth,  which  was  one 
of  the  most  disastrous  in  the  history  of  the  Weather 
Bureau.  Some  of  the  scenes  were  made  on  the  spot  the 
day  after,  and  a  miniature  reproduction  of  the  town  as 
it  was  before  the  storm,  was  made  in  the  studio  and 
razed  in  one  of  the  most  wonderful  mechanical  cft'ects 
ever  done  in  pictures.  Two  short  comedies  by  the  Jester 
company  complete  the  program.  These  show  Billy  Wells 
and    Claude    Crazee.      Billy    is    said    to    be    the    highest 


DOING    PRESS    WORK  11 

priced  player  in  pictures  and  Claude  is  about  the  only 
man  who  might  successfully  contradict  him. 

This  will  appeal  to  the  man  who  is  not  a  fan  but  who 
will  read  on  because  he  started  in  to  read  about  ten  cent 
five  dollar  bills.  Get  him  started  and  write  easily  and 
he  will  keep  along. 

If  you  are  allowed  to  run  readers  for  each  film,  you 
get  more  of  a  chance.  Tell  about  the  story  but  do  not  tell 
all  of  the  story,  nor  do  not  tell  it  clumsily.  Do  not  start 
it  like  this : 

.  "Caught  in  a  Crime,"  a  Vencedore  two-reel,  will  be  at 
the  Opera  House  tomorrow.  It  tells  the  .thrilling  tale  of 
a  young  man  who  is  started  on  the  downward  path 
through  a  strange  freak  of  circumstances,  but  is  saved 
at  the  last  by  the  matchless  magic  of  a  woman's  love. 
Johnson  Willard,  Mabel  Powers  and  Nannie  Gote  are 
all  in  the  star  cast. 

That  is  about  as  interesting  to  the  general  reader  as  a 
sore  thumb  would  be  to  a  man  who  has  just  had  his  leg 
cut  oflf.  Take  the  chance  reader  by  the  throat  in  the 
opening  sentence  and  hold  him  until  you  are  through. 
Start  in  with : 

Standing  in  front  of  his  father's  safe  with  $10,000 
in  bills  in  his  hands  would  be  a  terrible  position  for  any 
man.  It  was  worse  in  Philip  Curley's  case,  for  he 
could  not  explain  that  he  had  just  taken  the  money 
from  his  brother,  whom  he  had  caught  robbing  the  safe. 
He  could  only  accept  in  silence  his  father's  reproaches 
and  go  out  into  the  world — -disowned.  That  is  the  main 
theme  of  "Caught  in  a  Crirfie,"  a  striking  Vencedore 
three-part  story  to  be  shown  at  the  Opera  Houre  to- 
morrow evening.  How  Philip  (played  by  Johnson  Wil- 
lard) fares  and  how  the  matter  is  finally  straightened  out 
by  his  sweetheart,  played  by  Mabel  Powers,  is  strikingly 
told.  Nannie  Gote,  the  pretty  little  Vencedore  ingenue, 
also  appears. 

If  the  story  is  headed,  do  not  say  "Great  play  at  the 
Opera  House,"  but  get  an  attention-compelling  line  such 
as  "Stole  Ten  Thousand  from  Dad."     In  writing  these 


78  PICTURE    THEATRE    ADVERTISING 

headings  study  the  paper  and  see  about  how  many  letters 
you  can  get  into  a  headline. 

Do  not  seek  to  tell  the  story.  Tell  something  of  the 
story,  but  hold  the  climax  back  for  the  showing  of  the 
film. 

Here  is  an  example  of  actual  press  work  done  by  a 
Western  house : 

The  Majestic  has  for  a  program  today  two  features — 
one  a  Biograph  and  the  other  a  Vltagraph.  The  Bio- 
graph  illustrates  the  punishment  of  pride  in  "Her 
Awakening,"  a  story  of  a  pretty  girl  who  is  ashamed  of 
her  old  mother,  who  is  poor  and  has  to  work  in  a  laundry 
every  day  in  order  to  keep  her  daughter  well  dressed.  A 
splendid  story  and  one  that  not  only  sets  a  good  example 
for  the  young  folks  but  a  story  full  of  interest  from  start 
to  finish.  Another — the  Vitagraph,  "A  Western  Hero- 
ine," is  a  thrilling  Western  story  of  cowgirl,  a  band  of 
thieves,  a  brave  miner  showing  one  of  the  wildest 
rides  for  life  ever  pictured  and  by  the  world's  greatest 
cowgirl,  Miss  Edith  Story,  who  was  for  a  long  time  lead- 
ing lady  for  the  Melies  company.  This  is  one  of  the 
best  programs  the  Majestic  has  booked  for  some  time. 
Don't  miss  it;  today  and  tomorrow  only.  Change  again 
Saturday. 

That  would  interest  those  eager  to  know  what  the 
Majestic  is  to  have,  but  it  would  be  passed  over  by  the 
man  not  directly  interested.  On  the  other  hand,  some- 
thing like  this  might  hold  general  attention  long  enough 
to  get  the  reader  into  the  story : 

Ashamed  of  Mother! 

With  the  scornful  laugh  of  denial  still  on  her  lips, 
pretty  Nettie  Goodman  saw  her  patient,  loving  old  mother 
struck  down  by  an  automobile,  and,  forgetful  of  the 
false  pride  that  a  moment  before  had  led  her  to  deny 
to  her  fashionable  escort  that  she  knew  the  shabby, 
patient  toiler,  she  threw  herself  upon  the  pavement  beside 
the  sufferer.     It  was  a  terrible  wakening  to  her  better 


DOING   PRESS   WORK  79 

self,  but  it  won  for  her  the  love  of  the  young  man  who 
had  before  found  her  only  shallow  and  vain,  a  pretty 
little  creature  of  pretense. 

This  powerful  moral  lesson  forms  the  theme  of  "Her 
Awakening,"  a  splendid  product  of  the  Biograph  studios, 
which,  with  the  Vitagraph's  "Western  Heroine,"  which 
features  dashing  little  Edith  Storey,  until  recently  with 
the  Melies  company,  comprises  the  Majestic  headlines 
today  and  tomorrow. 

A  Biograph  and  a  Yitagraph  on  the  same  bill  is  a  treat 
to  picture  lovers  and  you  want  to  make  sure  you  visit  the 
Majestic  before  the  bill  is  changed  on  Saturday. 

Indirect  press  work  can  be  done  by  working  in  with 
the  papers  or  public  organizations.  If  a  paper  starts  an 
agitation,  offer  to  run  slides  and  distribute  printed  matter. 
Make  allusion  to  it  in  your  own  advertising.  If  a  society 
starts  a  fund,  be  on  hand  with  a  subscription  and  the 
promise  of  your  support.  If  a  mass  meeting  is  needed 
and  the  matter  is  really  of  great  importance,  abandon 
your  performance  for  one  evening  and  run  a  couple  of 
the  films  as  a  part  of  the  meeting  to  draw  the  crowd. 

If  there  is  a  live  minister  in  your  town,  work  in  with 
him.  Get  up  non-sectarian  Sunday  afternoon  services 
with  a  film  that  will  serve  as  a  text.  If  Sunday  perform- 
ances are  not  allowed,  this  may  pave  the  way  for 
them.  If  there  are  Sunday  performances,  time  this 
special  service  between  the  regular  matinee  and  night, 
or  give  it  in  the  morning.  Take  up  a  collection  and  -ive 
it  to  the  church,  and  remember  to  tell  the  papers  what 
the  collection  amounted  to  and  what  was  done  with  it. 

Give  educational  matinees  Saturday  mornings.  With 
about  five  dollars  worth  of  commercial  educationals  you 
can  get  ten  times  as  much  approbation.  If  you  can,  get 
the  teachers  interested.  If  you  cannot,  go  after  some 
minister  or  a  welfare  society  or  some  citizen  who  wants 
to  be  a  welfare  society.  Give  several  reels  of  educational 
and  a  good  and  clean  comedy.  Do  not  look  for  too 
much  return  from  the  first  matinee.  Keep  it  up  until  the 
idea  takes  root  and  presently  you  will  find  that  many 


80  PICTURE   THEATRE    ADVERTISING 

mothers  have  a  new  idea  of  "those  horrid  movies." 

Be  always  on  the  job.  One  small  town  Exhibitor 
closes  his  house  Chautauqua  week,  so  as  not  to  conflict. 
Another  takes  his  machine  and  chairs  to  the  grove,  runs 
the  slides  for  the  course  lecturers  and  gets  his  money 
back  on  the  brief  show  he  is  permitted  to  give  after  the 
regular  exercises.  One  gets  credit  for  having  public 
spirit.     The  other  gets  the  credit  and  the  cash,  too. 

Melvin  G.  Winstock  did  something  good  in  the  way 
of  press  work  when  he  wrote  a  film  on  the  parole  of 
State  prisoners,  then  a  burning  question  in  Oregon.  The 
story  was  written  "in  collaboration"  with  the  Governor 
of  the  State  and  produced  by  Edison.  When  it  came  to 
Oregon  the  Governor  lectured  the  film  and  the  profits ; 
the  immediate  takings,  went  to  charity,  but  the  credit 
went  to  the  house.  It  was  something  in  those  days  to 
obtain  official  recognition.  In  a  letter  about  that  time 
Mr.  Winstock  wrote: 

"We  have  offered  our  suburban  theatres  for  the  use  of 
the  public,  civic,  and  municipal  bodies  to  use  them  from 
ten  to  twelve  for  neighborhood  purposes,  and  arrange- 
ments are  being  made  on  the  part  of  the  local  societies 
to  make  good  use  of  the  offer. 

"We  are  also  attempting  to  help  the  Baby  Home  here  in 
the  foHowing  manner:  Saturday,  October  10th,  is  RED 
PENCIL  DAY,  when  they  sell  pencils  at  10'  cents  each 
to  help  the  baby  home.  We  are  running  slides  in  our 
different  theatres  advertising  this,  and  are  permitting 
distinguished  people  to  come  into  our  theatres  and  give 
a  two  or  three  minute  talk  on  the  support  of  this  great 
local  charity.  On  the  list  are  the  governor,  senators, 
legislators,  and  other  citizens  of  prominence.  Of  course 
this  does  not  directly  put  any  money  in  our  pockets,  but 
it  helps  to  establish  the  fact  that  we  are  a  local  institu- 
tion and  in  the  creation  of  a  public  sentiment  in  our  favor, 
it  cannot  help  doing  some  good. 

"We  have  also  formed  the  habit  of  occasionally  inviting 
either  the  Rotary,  Ad,  Press,  Commercial,  or  Royal 
Rosarian  clubs  to  a  private  exhibition  of  big  special 
features  as  they  come  along.     Today,  Monday  the  7th, 


DOING   PRESS   WORK  81 

we  have  the  Press  Club  to  witness  a  private  exhibition  of 
"Custer's  Last  Fight."  After  the  last  performance  about 
10':30,  at  the  Star  Theatre,  we  will  run  off  "Custer's  Last 
Fight,"  then  serve  refreshments  consisting  of  sandwiches, 
cigars,  etc.  We  find  that  this  does  us  no  harm,  we  get 
some  publicity  in  the  newspapers  without  paying  for  it, 
and  if  the  picture  is  good,  it  sends  out  from  150'  to  200 
people  talking  about  it,  which  is  worth  something." 

If  the  local  paper  wants  a  story  about  the  pictures, 
give  it  to  them.  If  you  do  not  know  the  facts  get  in 
touch  with  the  press  man  of  one  of  the  companies  whose 
films  you  use  and  ask  for  photographs  and  data.  Manage 
to  get  your  name  menttioned  in  the  story.  Try  to  get 
your  name  mentioned  in  every  story  about  the  films. 
Be  the  expert  in  your  town  or  section.  Naturally  the 
expert  is  able  to  select  the  best  program. 

And  be  an  expert.  Do  not  talk  about  Jim  Jones  when 
his  name  is  John.  Your  patrons  know  the  difference 
if  you  do  not  and  they'll  know  that  you  are  a  bluff.  Keep 
posted. 

And  keep  on  good  terms  with  the  papers.  If  you  have 
anything  to  tell,  tell  them.  If  you  have  something  you 
do  not  want  told,  tell  them  but  ask  them  to  go  lightly. 
They  will  have  to  use  matters  of  news  and  if  you  deny 
there  was  a  panic  and  they  find  there  was,  they'll  pile  it 
on.  If  you  tell  them  first  they'll  make  it  as  easy  as  pos- 
sible for  you.  It  is  not  your  advertising,  but  your  atti- 
tude that  counts  for  most.  Keep  solid  with  them  and 
they'll  help  you  get  the  best  advertising  that  is  to  be 
had  and  plently  of  it,  at  that.  Keeping  solid  does  not 
mean  buying  a  drink  for  every  newspaper  man  every 
time  you  see  him.  It  means  trying  to  pay  in  kindness  for 
kindnesses  received.  It  means  giving  them  news,  help- 
ing their  schemes,  and  playing  the  game — their  game — 
with  them. 


82  PICTURE   THEATRE    ADVERTISING 


CHAPTER    XL 

NEWSPAPER  ADVERTISING 

The  newspaper  a  bureau  of  information — advertising 
rates — space  contracts — personality  advertising 
— mystery  advertising. 

It  is  fashionable  to  say  that  newspaper  advertising  is 
the  most  valuable  form  of  publicity.  This  is  not  always 
true.  Each  form  of  publicity  has  its  advantage  in  reach- 
ing the  public  and  the  perambulating  advertisement  will 
do  work  that  the  printed  advertisement  cannot  while  the 
poster  will  pull  from  another  direction  than  either.  News- 
paper advertising  is  valuable  only  when  enough  of  it  can 
be  used.  If  a  house  can  afford  only  ten  lines  a  day.  it 
would  be  better  to  omit  the  daily  advertisement  and  insert 
a  seventy-line  advertisement  on  Sunday.  That  might 
bring  response  of  some  sort.  Advertising  is  valuable 
only  when  it  pulls  more  business  for  you  than  the  adver- 
tising costs  and  it  does  not  always  happen  that  the  balance 
will  be  in  your  favor,  though  almost  invariably  intelli- 
gently done  newspaper  advertising  and  the  free  reading 
notices  that  go  with  it  will  be  the  most  profitable  invest- 
ment you  can  make  in  publicity. 

Each  form  of  advertising  has  its  own  function.  The 
poster  works  through  its  pictorial  appeal  and  iteration. 
You  may  not  consciously  notice  the  first  poster.  You 
may  recognize  the  fourth  or  fifth.  Handbills  go  after 
the  chance  patron  and  the  house  program  appeals  to 
the  regular  attendant.  The  newspaper  is  the  Bureau  of 
Information.  The  man  who  wants  entertainment  and 
does  not  know  what  he  wants,  does  not  run  up  and  down 
the  street  reading  billboards  or  theatre  fronts.  He 
turns  to  the  daily  paper  and  reads  the  announcements 
there.     He  picks  up  no  certain  paper,  but  the  first  he 


NEWSPAPER    ADVERTISING  83 

sees.  The  paper  is  in  his  home.  The  house  program 
may  be  thrown  out  on  receipt  and  mailed  matter  con- 
signed to  the  waste  basket,  but  the  newspaper  is  always 
at  hand,  and  therein  lies  its  value. 

Advertising  rates  are  based  on  thousands  of  circulation. 
The  paper  with  ten  thousand  circulation  has  a  right  to 
expect  higher  rates  than  one  with  but  half  that  number 
of  readers.  In  towns  of  40,000'  or  more  it  may  not  pay 
a  small  house  to  go  into  the  newspapers  because  it  may 
be  required  to  pay  for  several  thousand  circulation  that 
can  do  it  no  good  whatever.  The  paper  may  legitimately 
charge  for  a  circulation  of  twenty  thousand,  of  which 
but  five  thousand  is  in  the  city  proper,  and  perhaps  only 
one  thousand,  or  one-twentieth  of  the  circulation  is  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  Exhibitor.  He  pays  for  twenty  times 
as  much  as  he  gets ;  scarcely  a  profitable  investment.  On 
the  other  hand,  there  may  be  some  locality  paper  with  a 
circulation  of  1,500,  every  copy  of  which  is  put  where 
it  will  do  the  Exhibitor  some  good  and  yet  the  rate  may  be 
but  a  tenth  of  the  other  cost. 

The  larger  papers,  and  sometimes  the  smaller  one, 
generally  have  a  higher  rate  for  theatrical  advertising 
than  for  merchants.  In  some  cities  there  is  a  special  rate 
for  picture  theatres  that  is  midway  between  these  two 
prices.  Rates  are  made  by  the  inch  or  the  line.  Inch 
rates  are  generally  charged  by  the  smaller  papers  and 
the  line  rates  by  the  larger  ones.  The  line  is  the  agate 
line  of  one-fourteenth  of  an  inch,  and  to  ascertain  the 
inch  rate  from  a  line  charge  it  is  only  necessary  to  mul- 
tiply by  fourteen.  Rates  are  generally  subject  to  discount 
for  time  or  space,  or  both.  Time  discounts  are  given 
where  an  advertisement  is  to  run  for  a  specified  length 
of  time.  The  discount  is  greater  where  the  advertise- 
ment is  to  run  for  a  year  than  where  the  contract  runs 
for  three  or  six  months.  Space  discounts  apply  to  large 
contracts  for  space  to  be  used  within  a  specified  time. 

The  double  discount  is  given  only  where  an  advertise- 
ment is  to  occupy  a  definitely  large  space  every  day 
for  a  specified  time.  The  second  discount  is  given  to 
encourage  the  uniform  consumption  of  the  space. 


84  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Before  making  a  contract  it  is  best  to  try  out  the 
advertising  if  there  is  any  reason  to  doubt  the  income, 
but  no  fair  trial  can  be  made  in  a  period  of  less  than  four 
weeks,  and  three  months  would  be  a  better  choice. 

When  a  contract  is  determined  upon  it  is  better  to  make 
a  space  contract  for  a  greater  number  of  lines  than  may 
be  required.  If  you  use  fifty  lines  daily  and  two  hun- 
dred on  Sunday,  do  not  contract  on  the  basis  of  five 
hundred  lines  a  week.  Add  fifty  or  one  hundred  lines  a 
week.  If  you  need  extra  space  it  then  comes  under  the 
discount  rate.  If  you  do  not  use  it  all,  you  pay  on  the 
discount  to  which  you  are  entitled.  On  the  other  hand, 
it  is  unwise  to  contract  for  space  largely  in  excess  of 
what  you  might  be  able  to  use.  Do  not  contract  for  a 
thousand  lines  on  a  five  hundred  basis.  The  discrepancy 
would  be  too  great. 

In  figuring  your  space  it  is  well  to  estimate  the  amount 
of  money  you  can  devote  to  newspaper  space.  Then  use 
not  more  than  seventy-five  per  cent,  of  this  for  your 
regular  advertising,  holding  the  rest  in  reserve  for  extra 
features  or  any  unexpected  advertising.  If  you  adver- 
tise up  to  the  limit  of  your  appropriation,  an  emergent 
condition  will  require  money  that  might  better  be  ex- 
pended in  some  other  direction. 

As  in  all  other  forms  of  advertising,  it  is  useless  to 
spend  money  unless  you  have  something  to  say.  Com- 
pare the  two  advertisements  in  Figure  14.  Is  one  any 
worse  than  the  other.  Shows  are  always  good  when 
Exhibitors  talk.  Milk  is  always  white  when  the  dairyman 
speaks. 


Gem  Theatre 

Always  a  g-oocl  Show 

Come 


Clover  Milk 

Always  White 

Try  It 


Figure  14. — Is  one  more  absurd  than   the  other? 

The  newspaper  reader  wants  to  know  what  he  is  going 
to  get.  He  wants  to  be  assured  of  good  entertainment. 
Film   titles   may  mean   nothing  whatever   to  him.     For 


NEWSPAPER    ADVERTISING  85 

that  matter,  titles  may  mean  nothing  to  you.  Look  at 
this  list : 

Love  in  Armor 

A  Japanese  Courtship 

A  Fool  There  Was 

Would  that  appeal  to  the  man  who  was  looking  for  an 
all-comedy  bill?  The  first  suggests  a  romance  of  chivalric 
days,  the  second  a  story  of  the  Orient,  and  the  third  the 
play  of  the  same  title.  The  stories  are  all  comedies,  re- 
spectively a  Keystone,  a  Majestic  and  a  Lubin,  though 
the  latter  title  is  no  longer  used.  It  is  better  to  use  a 
descriptive  line.     Figure  15'A  shows  the  simplest  form: 

In  the  Toils  of  Fate 

A  two-part  drama  of  Alaska 
Her  Sister's  Son 

A  true  heart-interest  story 

The  Man  He  Made  Himself 
Chance  was  against  him,  but  he  won 

Figure  15A. — Titles  with  explanatory  lines. 

The  single  explanatory  line  is  better  than  nothing,  but 
the  more  that  is  told,  within  reason,  the  stronger  the 
appeal.  That  first  title  might  be  given  more  space  and 
announced  as  "A  thrilling  story  of  adventure  'North  of 
'53,'  adapted  from  a  story  by  Hex  Reach."  That  would 
suggest  a  good  story  well  told.  But  this  is  the  day  of  the 
personality  of  the  player.  It  is  well  to  give  names  and 
brands.  At  the  cost  of  an  extra  line  the  appeal  may  be 
more  than  doubled.  The  Alaskan  story  may  be  made  to 
read  as  in  Figure  15'B. 


In  the  Toils  of  Fate 

A    red    blooded    two-part    Vishnu    production 

adapted  from  the  story  by  Hex  Reach.  A  stirring 

and    fast    moving    tale    of    Alaskan    wilds    with 

Clyde  Francis      and      Mary  Chatterton 


Figure  15B. — -The   expanded  announcement. 


86  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

The  other  stories  may  be  similarly  treated  to  give  the 
reader  a  good  idea  of  the  complete  offering.  But  the 
chief  aim  of  the  newspaper  advertisement  is  to  appeal  to 
the  chance  reader ;  the  man  who  does  not  know  film? 
intimately,  and  it  almost  always  happens  that  on  a  pro- 
gram there  is  one  subject  that  can  be  raised  above  the 
rest.  In  this  case  suppose  that  we  play-up  the  first  story, 
giving  that  the  major  portion  of  the  space  and  obtaining 
a  result  suggested  in  Figure  16.  It  is  clear  that  this  two- 
part  story  done  from  a  well  known  work  of  fiction,  will 
have  a  stronger  appeal  tlian  two  one-part  stories  by  un- 
known writers. 


"Greater  love   hath   no   man  than  this,  that  he   give  up  his   life 
for  his  friend."     That  is  the  keynote  of  

In  the  Toils  of  Fate 

One  of  the  strongest,  most  compelling  and  gripping  stories  of 
the  wild  life  in  the  North  ever  put  upon  the  screen.  Only  two 
parts,  but  enoughi  action  to  run  six  acts  of  average  production. 
Done  from  the  Alaskan  novel  of  the  same  title  by  Hex  Reach. 
JACK  HARDY  plays  the  half-breed  guide,  HARRY  STANLEY 
is  the  young  prospector  and  JESSIE  JUDSON  is  the  inevitable 
girl. 

See  them  shoot  the  rapids  I 

See  the  dog  sledge  race  for  life  ! 

See  the  explosion  in  the  shaft! 

Other    good    offerings    are    Her    Sister's    Son,     a    heart-interest 
drama  of   strong  interest  and  The  Man  He  Made  Himself. 


Figure  16. — An  advertisement  plaj'ing  up  a  single  subject 

Conventional  advertising  can  do  no  more  than  bring 
conventional  results.  Here  as  everywhere  in  advertising, 
originality  counts.  Personality,  too,  has  its  appeal,  and 
the  man  who  can  do  personality  advertising  along  the 
lines  followed  by  Frank  T.  Montgomery  or  George  A. 
Bleich,  can  make  people  interested  in  spite  of  themselves. 

When  Mr.  Montgomery  decided  to  change  the  scene 
of  his  operations  from  the  Mississippit  valley  to  the 
eastern  Gulf  States,  he  started  in  at  Jacksonville.  His 
first  advertisement  was  characteristic.  He  announced 
his  intention  of  locating  in  the  town  and  then  launched 
into  a  tribute  to  Miss  Mabel  Paige  and  her  stock  com- 


NEWSPAPER    ADVERTISING  87 

pany.  It  cost  him  line  rates  to  do  it,  but  it  was  worth  it. 
Miss  Paige  was  the  idol  of  that  section,  Mr.  Mont- 
gomery's announcement  of  his  plans  was  interesting, 
but  his  praise  of  Miss  Paige  was  important,  for  here 
was  a  man  who  knew — since  he  endorsed  local  opinion. 
His  neatly  phrased  comment  marked  him  a  man  of  judg- 
ment, therefore  he  must  himself  be  a  man  who  knew, 
and  therefore  worth  watching.  It  gave  him  a  better  start 
than  pages  of  personal  praise  would  have  done. 

Later  when  the  war  slump  of  1914  came  and  business 
grew  bad,  Mr.  Montgomery  took  his  space  to  preach 
optimism  and  hustle.  He  was  hailed  by  the  press  as  a 
public  benefactor,  and  even  ministers  found  in  his  ad- 
vertising a  text  for  supporting  sermons.  He  paid  for 
perhaps  a  column  of  space  two  or  three  times.  He  gained 
a  hundred  times  as  many  columns  of  comment  and  word 
of  mouth  advertising  still  more  valuable.  Always  the 
advertising  spoke  of  business  in  connection  with  his 
theatres,  but  the  latter  apparently  were  made  subordinate 
to  his  appeal  to  the  public. 

Later,  when  the  Electrical  Bureau  put  down  a  conduit 
and  dug  an  especially  large  and  deep  hole  in  front  of  the 
entrance  to  his  principal  theatre,  he  did  not  rage  against 
the  city  fathers.  He  made  capital  of  the  matter  and 
while  regretting  the  annoyance  to  which  his  patrons  were 
put  temporarily,  he  rejoiced  in  the  evident  signs  of  the 
civic  advancement  of  Jacksonville.  He  not  only  reconciled 
his  patrons  to  literally  having  to  walk  the  plank,  but  once 
more  his  appeal  to  local  pride  gained  friends  for  the 
house.    If  he  did  not  complain,  they  could  not  well  do  so. 

The  late  W.  A.  Wesley  put  personality  into  his  ad- 
vertising and  his  "Wesley  Says  So,"  became  a  guarantee. 
Like  Montgomery,  he  adopted  his  portrait  as  a  trade 
mark,  and  once  offered  this  explanation : 

"I  haven't  got  this  picture  on  my  advertisement  to 
show  you  that  I  am  a  handsome  man,  because  I  am  not. 
It  is  a  guarantee  that  you  are  going  to  see  just  what  is 
advertised  and  if,  after  you  have  seen  it  all,  you  are  not 
satisfied,  I  am  going  to  refund  your  money." 

The  portrait  cut  and  the  catchline  gave  force  to  his 


88  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

advertising.  Like  Montgomery,  he  made  seemingly  ex- 
travagant statements,  but  they  were  not  untruths  or 
misrepresentations.  Instead  they  were  truths  clothed  in 
extravagant  but  correct  phrase. 

The  personal  advertising  counts  for  more  in  a  small 
town  than  in  the  larger  cities  because  in  a  small  town 
the  advertiser  becomes  known  and  may  more  easily  be 
checked  up,  but  a  forceful  personality  will  impress  itself 
anywhere  if  there  is  sincerity  and  intelligence  behind  the 
work. 

Another  form  of  personality  has  been  used  for  years 
by  the  Howard  Athenaeum,  in  Boston.  It  has  been 
widely  copied,  but  seldom  successfully,  since  it  requires 
a  breezy  and  forceful  handling  of  the  language  and  yet 
with  proper  restraint.  The  great  danger  in  the  Howard 
style  lies  in  the  fact  that  its  intimacy  in  unclevcr  hands 
becomes  familiarity.  It  consists  of  a  column-wide  space 
with  a  proper  head  and  perhaps  a  portrait  cut.  The  rest 
is  in  body  type,  broken  by  eighteen-point  lines  giving 
names  or  titles.  Its  form  does  not  lend  itself  well  to 
reproduction  since  it  is  the  effect  of  the  half  column  or 
column  of  almost  solid  reading  that  makes  it  distinctive 
in  appearance. 

The  real  appeal,  however,  is  in  the  text,  which  may  be 
suggested  by  the  following: 

Well,  we've  rounded  up  another  fine  bunch  of  chills 
and  chuckles.  First  you'll  laugh  and  then  you'll  cry 
and  then  you'll  laugh  again.    First  oft"  we  have 

Caught  by  Fate 
a  story  by  West  Eastman  that  is  going  to  pull  you  onto 
the  edge  of  your  chairs  until  the  climax  comes,  when  it 
will  shove  you  against  the  back  of  the  chairs,  faint  and 
dizzy,  but  mighty  glad  you  had  a  chance  to  see  some- 
thing really  big.  It  takes  your  heart  out,  squeezes  it 
until  you  want  to  yell  and  think  you  are  going  to  die 
but  you  can't.  Then,  all  of  a  sudden  it  makes  you  so  happy 
that  you're  glad  you  suffered  so  because  now  you  feel  so 
good.  Pretty  little  Mary  Maginnis  is  the  heroine  and 
Ben  Burton  saves  her  from  the  dastardly  Jack  Langdon, 
who  is  twice  as  bad  as  he  looks  and  looks  like  the  devil 


NEWSPAPER    ADVERTISING  89 

incarnate.  After  all  that  you'll  want  to  relax  a  bit,  so 
there's 

Chased  Up  a  Tree 

You  remember  the  story  of  the  fox  that  climbed  the  tree. 
He  couldn't  do  it,  but  he  had  to  because  the  dogs  were 
after  him.  Harry  Skinks  is  something  of  an  old  fox  in 
this  picture,  but  it  did  no  good.  He  wasn't  quite  foxy 
enough  to  avoid  getting  found  out,  and  Fatty  would 
rather  have  faced  a  whole  pack  of  Uncle  Tom  blood- 
hounds than  Friend  Wife,  but  he  had  to  come  down. 
After  you  get  the  stitches  out  of  your  side  we'll  show  you 

The  Potter's  Clay 
This  isn't  sensation,  but  heart  interest.     It  isn't  so  heavy 
on  your  nerves  but  stronger  on  the  weeps.     Bring  hvo 
handkerchiefs  and  enjoy  a  good  cry. 

The  matter  runs  along  in  the  same  chatty  vein,  not 
using  slang  but  replacing  this  with  oddity  of  expression. 
It  is  not  well  adapted  to  houses  making  their  chief  appeal 
with  single  features  or  seeking  those  who  will  best  be 
reached  through  a  more  dignified  form  of  appeal,  but 
it  works  nicely  where  the  clientele  is  less  particular  as  to 
exactness  of  speech. 

Mystery  advertisements  sometimes  work  well,  though 
as  a  rule  they  do  not  pay  for  the  space  they  occupy, 
where  the  subject  does  not  stay  long.  In  the  mystery 
advertisement  the  curiosity  of  the  reader  is  roused  and 
fanned  for  a  few  days.  It  is  a  series  of  advertisements 
in  series,  run  one  each  day  until  the  mystery  is  explained. 
The  first  manifestation  may  be  merely  a  question  mark 
or  perhaps  a  name,  and  go  on  to  develop  the  angles  of 
the  story  by  other  questions  and  comment.  In  order,  the 
factors  might  run : 

Helen ! 

Why  did  she  leave  home? 

Was  she  justified  in  leaving  home? 

Was  Harry  to  blame  for  her  leaving  home? 

What  did  he  think  of  her  leaving  home? 

Why  did  she  leave  home?     Answer  here  tomorrow. 

The  following  day  the  explanation  comes  that  the 
serial,   "Why   Helen   Left  Home,"   will  be  begun   at  a 


90  PICTURE   THEATRE    ADVERTISING 

certain  theatre  on  a  stated  day.  As  a  general  thing  the 
space  could  be  used  to  better  advantage  in  straight  ad- 
vertisement, since  the  space  must  be  large  to  attract 
attention. 

It  is  well  to  have  some  distinguishing  mark  on  the 
advertisement,  not  the  house  mark,  but  some  other  cipher, 
to  keep  some  other  enterprising  advertiser  from  jumping 
in  and  stealing  your  thunder.  The  paper  might  protect 
you  in  your  rights  and  not  be  able  to  control  the  bill- 
boards. More  than  one  national  campaign  has  been  lost 
through  the  adroit,  if  unscrupulous  action  of  some  out- 
sider. 

Reading  notices  and  liners  are  useful  in  supplementing 
the  display  work.  Sometimes  a  contract  carries  with  it 
the  gift  of  a  certain  amount  of  reading  notice,  but  more 
often  this  must  be  paid  for,  generally  at  double  the  dis- 
play rates.  Reading  notices  have  already  been  dealt  with 
in  the  chapter  on  press  work.  The  liners  are  used  to 
call  attention  to  a  larger  advertisement,  to  "snipe"  a 
coming  attraction  or  to  drive  home  some  special  release. 
For  the  former  they  might  read : 

Save  money.  Read  the  Star's  advertisement  on  page 
nine. 

Turn  to  page  nine,  top  of  third  column.  You'll  be 
glad. 

You'll  be  interested  in  page  nine,  top  of  third  column. 

For  use  in  sniping,  the  title  of  the  film  is  given  and 
nothing  else.  This  is  in  some  ways  a  cheaper  way  of 
working  a  mystery  advertisement  and  a  better  one,  since 
the  title  is  given  and  cannot  be  stolen. 

In  its  third  form  the  liner  merely  reads  in  turn : 

Coming,  Cleopatra,  at  the  Jacklin. 

Cleopatra  at  the  Jacklin  Wednesday, 

Cleopatra  at  the  Jacklin  tomorrow. 

Cleopatra  at  the  Jacklin  today. 

Whatever  their  use,  they  should  be  turned  in  with 
instructions  that  one  or  more  shall  be  put  on  each  page 
or  on  certain  pages.  Ten  liners  on  one  page  will  have 
less  value  than  ten  liners  on  ten  pages.  It  is  best  to 
have  them  set  in  full  face  type,  even  at  a  small  extra  cost. 


NEWSPAPER    ADVERTISING  91 

Broadly  speaking,  the  larger  the  advertisement  the 
greater  its  pulling  power;  copy  being  equally  good,  but 
so  long  as  the  advertisement  is  large  enough  to  stand 
out  properly  and  give  the  message,  the  requirements  has 
been  met.  It  is  well  to  concentrate  on  the  Sunday  issues, 
not  alone  because  people  have  more  time  for  reading 
on  that  day,  but  because  it  is  then  that  many  plan  their 
week.  Advertise  the  full  week's  bill  on  Sunday  and  on 
week  days  give  only  the  day,  if  a  morning  paper,  and 
that  day  and  the  next  in  the  afternoon  editions.  If  space 
permits,  underline  your  big  coming  attraction  each  day. 
If  you  have  a  big  feature  coming  on  Friday,  run  at  the 
bottom  of  each  advertisement:  "Coming  Friday — 'Cleo- 
patra." This  need  not  be  more  than  a  line  or  two  long 
and  in  small  type.  Six  or  eight  point  will  be  plenty  large 
enough.  If  Friday  is  a  regular  feature  day,  so  allot 
your  space  that  you  can  take  extra  space  in  the  morning 
papers  of  that  day  and  the  evening  editions  of  the  day 
before  and  that  day. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  while  newspaper  ad- 
vertising will  help  retain  the  patronage  of  those  already 
gained,  it  is  primarily  intended  not  for  the  ardent  theatre- 
goer but  for  the  man  who  might  be  coaxed  to  come.  Do 
not  assume  that  he  is  possessed  of  a  knowledge  of  trade 
talk  and  customs.  Do  not  talk  about  first  runs.  Say 
that  your  pictures  are  always  clean  and  free  from  defects 
because  they  are  shown  first  at  your  house.  Do  not  say 
they  are  shown  "on  the  day  of  release,"  for  the  man 
who  might  be  pursuaded  might  not  know  the  meaning 
of  that.  He  will  understand  if  you  explain  that  he  is 
sure  of  seeing  something  new  because  this  is  the  first  day 
the  pictures  will  be  shown  anywhere.  The  less  a  reader 
knows  about  pictures  the  more  you  should  try  to  coax 
him,  for  you  may  bring  him  to  your  house  and  make  him 
a  profitable  regular  attendant.  Do  not  feel  that  the  man 
who  does  not  know  that  Jim  Brown  has  changed  from 
the  Galaxy  to  the  Getemin  is  a  hopeless  case.  Bring  him 
to  a  condition  of  enlightenment.  Advertise  for  and  at 
him  until  you  have  landed  him,  and  then  get  after  others. 

It  is  an  idea  of  the  past  that  an  advertiser  is  expected 


92  PICTURE    THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

to  lie  a  little.  Even  the  circus  advertising  is  more  tem- 
perate than  it  was  and  the  day  of  "The  Greatest  Ever," 
and  "Best  ever  Produced,"  is  back  with  the  stock  poster 
and  the  dark  auditorium.  Today  the  wise  Exhibitor 
seeks  to  build  up  a  reputation  for  honest  advertising.  He 
has  found  that  circus  methods  do  not  pay  and  that 
presenting  a  subject  attractively  and  originally  is  more 
profitable  than  wasting  adjectives  on  every  subject.  Take 
a  due  and  proper  pride  in  your  program,  but  temper  your 
enthusiasm  to  the  subject.  Keep  your  outbursts  for  the 
really  great  and  do  not  advertise  every  offering  with  the 
same  list  of  superlatives.  Overpraise :  lead  the  reader 
to  expect  too  much,  and  his  disappointment  will  be  the 
greater  because  of  his  high  expectations. 

3o  frame  your  advertising  that  when  you  announce 
that  something  is  out  of  the  ordinary  people  will  come 
because  they  know  that  it  will  be  above  the  average.  Not 
every  release  is  a  masterpiece ;  not  every  feature  is  the 
greatest  ever.  You  know  that — and  so  does  your  clien- 
tele. Since  they  know  it  and  cannot  be  deceived,  do  not 
try  to.  Work  on  the  other  end  of  the  idea  and  make  your 
word  good  as  gold.  Then  when  you  especially  urge  a 
large  attendance  the  response  will  be  prompt  and  satis- 
factory. 

Probably  you  would  try  to  thrash  a  man  who  called 
you  are  a  liar.  Your  written  advertisement  should  be  as 
sacred  as  your  spoken  word.  It  is  not  necessary  to  say 
that  this  or  that  subject  is  below  the  average.  It  is  merely 
necessary  not  to  say  that  it  is  great.  Talk  of  its  good 
points,  be  silent  as  to  the  bad  ones,  but  do  not  try  to 
create  the  wrong  impression.  It  is  carrying  it  almost 
too  far  to  advertise  that  your  program  for  the  day  or 
week  is  not  as  strong  as  usual,  but  you  do  not  have  to 
announce  it  as  the  best  you  ever  offered. 


TYPE   AND   TYPESETTING  93 


TYPE  AND  TYPESETTING 

CHAPTER  XII. 

What  type  is — the  "point" — the  "pica" — the  "em" — 
display  and  body  type — type  families — upper  and 
lower  case — rules  and  borders — ornaments — 
proof  marks. 

Before  you  learned  to  write  words  you  were  taught 
the  form  of  the  letters.  Before  you  can  write  in  type 
intelligently,  it  is  necessary  to  know  what  type  is.  Most 
persons  know  that  printing  is  the  imprint  of  certain 
characters,  cut  in  metal  or  wood,  on  paper  or  other  sur- 
faces by  means  of  machinery  which  brings  the  inked 
characters  into  contact  with  the  material.  These  metal  or 
wooden  characters  are  the  types.  They  may  be  in- 
dividual characters  or  cast  in  a  solid  line.  But  type 
comprehends  in  a  more  general  sense  the  entire  printing 
material.    This  material  may  be  divided  as  follows: 

Types. 

Spaces. 

Quads. 

Leads. 

Reglets. 

Furniture. 

Rules. 

Borders. 

Ornaments. 

Cuts. 

Tint  blocks. 

Type  metal  is  a  composition  with  a  lead  base.  It  is 
cast  in  moulds  into  single  types,  each  carrying  on  the 
end  a  single  character  in  reverse,  or  it  is  cast  in  lines  or 
"slugs"  of  proper  width.     Type  is  all  of  uniform  height 


94  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

(known  as  type  high)  as  is  all  printing  material  intended 
to  leave  its  imprint  on  the  material  to  be  printed.  Type 
has  always  been  of  the  same  height  in  the  forms,  but  its 
height  on  the  page  has  not  always  been  uniform.  Type 
was  formerly  known  by  name,  such  as  "agate,"  "minion," 
"brevier,"  "pica,"  and  so  on.  These  names  suggested 
the  relative  size  of  the  letter,  but  it  seldom  happened 
that  brevier  from  one  foundry  would  match  with  the 
brevier  of  another  foundry.  It  was  either  a  trifle  larger 
or  smaller  and  could  not  be  used  interchangeably. 

To  remedy  this  condition  the  "point"  system  was 
adopted,  and  now  all  six-point  type,  no  matter  what 
foundry  it  comes  from,  will  work  in  the  same  line  with 
all  other  six-point  types.  The  point  is  1/72  of  an  inch 
in  height.  Figure  17  shows  eighteen  pieces  of  one-point 
rule,  each  step  indicating  one  point. 

A  second  standard  of  measurement  is  the  "pica"  of 
twelve  points,  or  one-sixth  of  an  inch.  Wherever  "line" 
is  referred  to  in  type  setting  without  a  point  size  added, 
the  pica  line  is  referred  to,  a  "three-line  letter"  for  ex- 
ample, being  a  letter  thirty-six  points  high.  Similarly 
an  "em"  is  a  pica  em  unless  otherwise  specified. 


Figure    17. — Eighteen    pieces    of    one    point    rule,    stepped    to 
show  the  points. 


The  letter  "m"  in  theory,  if  not  in  practise,  is  exactly 
square,  so  the  "pica"  or  pica  line  becomes  the  measure- 
ment up  and  down  the  column  and  the  pica  em  the 
measurement  of  width.  Each  point  has  its  own  em  as 
high  as  it  is  wide,  but  this  is  used  as  a  measurement  in 
that  point  only.  Straight  type  setting  is  paid  for  at  so 
much  per  thousand  ems.  Here  the  em  of  the  type  set 
is  used,  a  two-inch  line  carrying  twelve  pica  ems  or 
twenty-four  six-point  ems,  but  in  general  practise  the 
line  that  is  so  many  ems  wide  is  that  number  of  pica 
ems  in  width. 


TYPE   AND    TYPESETTING  95 

"Height"  in  type  generally  refers  to  the  height  of  the 
letter  and  not  to  the  height  of  the  piece  of  metal,  but 
this  refers  to  the  "body"  of  the  type,  the  metal  base, 
rather  than  to  the  height  of  the  actiial  letter.  Some 
Gothics,  for  example,  come  in  four  or  more  heights  on 
a  six  or  twelve-point  base,  permitting  the  different 
sizes  to  be  used  in  combination  without  disturbing  the 
line.  On  the  other  hand  some  types  are  referred  to  as 
"five-on-six  point,"  or  "seven-on-eight  point,"  meaning 
that  while  the  letter  is  proportioned  to  the  smaller  size 
mentioned  it  is  cast  on  the  larger  base. 

More  than  this,  not  all  regular  letters  are  of  the  same 
size.  Some  six-point  letters  seem  to  be  as  large  as  other 
eight-point  letters.  This  is  because  some  types  have  long 
ascenders  and  descenders  and  others  are  shortened.  The 
ascenders  are  the  tops  of  such  letters  as  the  "b,"  "d,55  and 
"f."  Descenders  are  the  tails  to  the  "g,"  "j,"  "p,"  "q,"  and 
"y."  Where  these  are  long,  the  body  of  the  letter,  such 
as  the  "m"  are  shortened  to  get  the  letter  on  the  specified 
base.  Some  types,  having  no  small  letters,  take  most 
of  the  base  and  seem  larger  on  that  account.  Generally 
the  ascender  is  longer  than  the  descender,  though  some- 
times the  reverse  is  true.  Figure  18  shows  a  ten-point 
line  with  varying  styles. 

daylight  daylight  daylight  daylight 

Figure  18. — Various  types  of  ten  point 
ascenders  and  descenders. 

The  advantage  of  the  point  system  is  that  it  makes 
for  ease  in  assembling  the  types  and  it  aids  the  advertise- 
ment writer  in  that,  knowing  the  types  he  calls  for  and 
the  probable  number  of  lines  of  each,  he  can  figure  his 
space  accurately.  He  knows  that  ten  twelve-point  lines 
will  be  120  points  and  that  twenty  six-point  lines  will  take 
the  same  space  as  will  fifteen  eight-point  lines.  Guess 
work  is  removed. 

The  "body"  of  the  type  is  its  size  in  points. 

The  "face"  of  the  type  is  the  style  of  its  letter.  Six 
and  twelve-point  type  may  have  the  same  face,  though 
the  body  of  one  is  twice  as  large  as  the  other. 


96  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

A  "family"  of  type  is  a  series  of  faces  designed  on 
the  same  general  lines  but  differing  in  the  heaviness  of 
the  line  or  the  width  of  the  letter,  or  both.  Some  families 
have  fifteen  and  twenty  members. 

Type  is  either  "body"  or  "display."  In  this  case  "body" 
does  not  mean  the  size  of  the  letter,  as  above,  but  means 
type  in  the  mass.  Strictly  speaking,  any  type  is  a  body 
type  when  it  is  used  to  set  "solid"  matter,  as  in  the  pages 
of  a  book,  but  generally  body  type  is  some  form  of 
Roman  character  and  generally  runs  between  five  and 
twelve  points.  There  are  two  general  styles  of  Roman, 
"old  style"  and  "modern."  The  former  is  more  generally 
used  for  advertising  because  it  is  more  angular  and 
therefore  more  legible.  The  modern  face  is  more  rounded 
and  is  supposed  to  be  more  elegant,  therefore  it  is  more 
generally  used  in  book  and  magazine  work  for  the  read- 
ing pages. 

It  is  worth  remembering  that  a  letter  shrinks  or  en- 
larges both  ways  if  in  the  same  face  but  a  different  point. 
Using  six-point  instead  of  an  eight-point  letter  not  only 
gives  you  more  lines  to  a  given  space,  but  also  more 
words  to  those  lines.    This  is  shown  in  Figure  19. 


The  Exhibitor  who  trusts  to  but  a  single  form  of  advertising 
is  like  the  automobilist  who  runs  on  a  single  cylinder  of  an 
eight-cylinder  car  and  then  complains  that  he  is  not  making  the 
guaranteed  speed.     The  proper  way  is  to  use  all   of  these  forms 

The  Exhibitor  who  trusts  to  but  a  single  form  of 
advertising  is  like  the  automobilist  who  runs  on  ;i 
single  cylinder  of  an  eight-cylinder  car  and  then  com- 
plains that  he  is  not  making  the  guaranteed   speed. 

Figure  19. — Showing  the  gain  in  a  change 
from  an  eight  to  a  six  point  type. 


Body  type  is  given  emphasis  by  the  use  of  italic  letters, 
SMALL  CAPITALS,  LARGE  CAPITALS,  full  face,  and 
full  face  italic.  Many  Roman  faces  no  longer  carry 
the  small  capitals  and  where  these  must  be  used  it  is 
necessary  to  use  the  capital  of  a  small  point.  With  the 
other  factors  it  is  better  not  to  mark  for  small  capitals. 


TYPE   AND    TYPESETTING  97 

For  italic  a  line  is  drawn  under  the  words  to  be  so  set. 
For  small  capitals  (or  "small  caps")  two  lines  are  drawn, 
one  below  the  other.  Three  lines  are  used  to  designate 
large  capitals.  A  waved  line  calls  for  full  face  and  a 
waved  line  below  a  single  straight  line  calls  for  full  face 
italic. 

Body  type  is  seldom  used  below  six  point.  The  regular 
faces  increase  by  two  points  in  the  smaller  sizes,  running 
six,  eight,  ten,  twelve  and  fourteen  point.  There  is  no  six- 
teen point,  but  an  eighteen,  and  above  that  type  rises 
by  six  points  to  seventy-two  points,  and  by  twelve-point 
increases  above  that. 

"Display"  type  is  a  bolder  and  more  individual  face. 
All  Roman  faces  look  more  or  less  alike.  Display  types 
give  a  surprising  variety.  Many  sorts  come  in  "families," 
making  it  possible  to  make  up  an  advertisement  with 
several  faces,  all  bearing  the  same  general  characteristics 
and  therefore  more  harmonious  in  appearance  than  would 
be  an  advertisement  showing  the  same  number  of  un- 
matched faces.  As  a  general  rule  it  is  seldom  wise  to 
use  more  than  two  families  in  combination. 

A  family  consists  of  the  same  general  style  of  letter 
but  with  a  difference  in  the  line  and  width.  Starting 
from  the  normal  letter  for  the  face  we  have  types  wider 
or  more  narrow.  The  wider  type  is  called  "extended" 
and  the  narrow  type  "condensed."  In  some  families 
there  is  a  further  condensation  or  extension  and  we  get 
the  "extra-condensed"  or  the  "extra-extended."  In  ad- 
dition, there  is  the  italic  character,  perhaps  in  all  five 
widths,  and  a  bold  or  full  face  letter.  But  even  this  does 
not  exhaust  the  possibilities  of  the  letter,  for  we  can  also 
have  an  "inline,"  "outline"  or  "s'haded"  letter,  as  well. 
An  "inline"  letter  is  one  which  seems  to  have  a  white 
line  set  within  the  black.  An  "outline"  reverses  this 
and  seems  to  be  a  white  letter  with  narrow  black  lines 
drawn  about  the  edges.  A  "shaded"  letter  is  one  in 
which  the  line  of  the  letter  is  not  solid  black  but  crossed 
by  innumerable  tiny  lines  of  white.  It  is  not  "shaded" 
in  the  sense  used  in  speaking  of  shaded  script  writing 
with  some  lines  of  the  letter  heavier  than  others.     Most 


98  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

types  are  made  with  the  latter  "shaded"  letters.  Where 
they  are  not ;  where  all  of  the  lines  are  equally  heavy,  the 
type  is  called  "monotone."  "Rugged"  type  has  an  uneven 
outline. 

The  value  of  the  extended  and  condensed  letters  lies 
in  the  fact  that  three  lines  of  unequal  length  can  be  given 
about  the  same  width  by  using  a  condensed  letter  for  the 
longest  line  and  an  extended  letter  for  the  shorter.  For 
advertising  the  condensed  and  extra-condensed  letters 
are  to  be  avoided  where  possible,  since  they  are  not  as 
legible  as  a  wide  letter  and  require  to  be  studied  out.  A 
glance  at  Figure  20'  will  explain  the  idea. 

Fought  in  the  Dark 
Fought  in  the  Dark 
Fought  in  the  Dark 
Rought  in  the  Dark 

Figure  20. — A  comparison  of  widths. 

In  addition  to  these  there  are  various  faces  based  on 
the  old  English  "black  letter,'  such  as  Old  English, 
Cloister  and  Flemish  Black.  Then  there  is  the  script 
family,  in  imitation  of  Soencerian  writing,  and  such 
oddities  as  Pen  Point  and  other  faces  suggestive  of  hand- 
printed letters,  Comstock,  Beacon  and  similar  black  and 
whites  and  other  specialties.  These  should  be  used 
sparingly,  but  can  be  used  effectively.  There  are  also  to 
be  had  types  reproducing  the  letters  of  all  makes  of 
standard  typewriting  machines.  Printed  through  silk, 
these  give  a  close  imitation  of  typewriting,  or  there  is 
a  special  ribbon-faced  type  that  is  cut  to  suggest  an  im- 
pression through  fabric,  and  there  are  also  reproducing 
typewriter  types  in  six,  eight  and  ten-point  bodies  useful 
in  suggesting  a  reduction  of  a  typewritten  letter.  A 
few  of  the  typewriters  use  a  condensed  ten-point  (Elite) 
face.     Most  of  them  use  the  twelve-point  body. 

The  use  of  Old  English  and  kindred  faces  in  adver- 
tising matter  is  almost  a  typographical  crime.  The  prime 
object  of  advertising  is  to  coax  a  prospect  to  read  an 


TYPE   AND    TYPESETTING  99 

argument.  A  glance  at  Figure  21  will  show  that  Old 
English  does  not  give  this  result.  Nor  is  it  at  all  neces- 
sary to  resort  to  Old  English  to  simulate  copper  plate 
engraving.  The  gothics,  shaded  letters  and  the  "Typo" 
faces  all  give  the  same  result  in  clear  letters  and  are  more 
in  accordance  with  modern  methods. 

OUR  PROGRAM 


?Enbtn$  Week  iammrg  10 
For  Thursday 

Paramt  Harkina  WiU 

For  Friday 

When  the  road  parts  The  tear  that  burned 


For  Saturday 

W\xt  at  H)p  Air  irama 
fia  iHuairal  (Earprr  a  (Eomir  rnmrbg 


For  Sunday, 

Sti|plB  Soof  Party.  A  (Eomir  Comrftg 


Hoping  This  Meets 

Your  Approval 

Figure   21. — An    extreme   example   of   the   use   of 
Old  English,  bad  composition,  and  arrangement. 

The  bulk  of  the  type  used  is  made  by  the  American 
Type  Founders  Co.  They  issue  a  large  catalogue  that  is 
too  expensive  to  be  generally  distributed,  but  it  will  pay 
the  advertiser  to  borrow  his  printer's  copy  and  study  it. 


100  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Type  is  kept  in  shallow  trays,  divided  into  compart- 
ments for  each  letter.  These  trays  are  called  "cases." 
These  cases  are  kept  in  racks,  so  arranged  that  the  top 
will  take  two  of  the  cases  in  a  slanting  position.  In 
body  type  the  metal  is  kept  in  two  cases,  the  small  letters 
in  one  and  the  capitals  in  another.  In  setting  from  these, 
the  case  with  the  small  letters,  being  most  frequently 
used,  is  set  on  the  top  of  the  stand  and  the  capitals  above 
and  beyond  it.  It  is  from  this  circumstances  that  the 
terms  "upper  case"  for  capitals  and  "lower  case"  for 
the  small  letters  are  derived. 

Type  is  sold  in  "job"  and  "weight"  fonts.  Most  body 
type  is  sold  in  multiples  of  twenty-five  or  one  hundred 
pounds.  Display  or  "job"  type  is  more  often  sold  in  the 
"job"  fonts.  Job  fonts  are  small  quantities  of  upper  or 
lower  case  letters  and  are  designated  as  containing  so 
many  capital  or  lower  case  "a."  The  fonts  are  schemed 
to  a  standard  rule,  containing  a  proportion  of  each  letters 
as  experience  has  shown  they  are  generally  needed.  Both 
upper  and  lower  case  fonts  contain  the  necessary  figures 
and  punctuation  marks.  They  do  not  generally  contain 
special  characters,  known  as  "sorts,"  such  as  parenthesis 
marks,  brackets,  percentage  marks  and  the  like.  They 
do  contain,  where  necessary,  such  "logotypes"  as  "ff," 
".fi,"  "fl,"  "ffi,"  and  "fil."  Any  type  containing  two  or 
more  letters  is  called  a  logotype. 

"Spaces"  and  "quads"  are  bits  of  type  metal  used  to 
separate  the  words.  Spaces  run  three,  four  or  five  to  the 
em  of  the  body,  that  is,  a  three-to-em  space  is  as  high 
as  the  type  body  and  one-third  as  wide.  A  six-point 
three-to-em  space  would  be  six  points  high  and  two 
points  wide.  The  three-to-em  is  sometimes  called  the 
"letter"  space,  because  these  are  most  generally  used  to 
separate  words.  The  four  and  five-to-em  are  used  where 
more  space  is  needed  to  be  added  between  words  or  to 
make  a  fit  with  quads.  Quads  may  be  "en,"  "em"  or  two 
or  three-em,  according  to  their  width.  The  "en"  is  half 
as  wide  as  the  "em"  and  the  two  or  three-em  is  as  wide 
as  two  or  three  em  quads  set  side  by  side.  The  em  quad 
is  as  wide  as  it  is  high.     If  the  last  line  of  a  paragraph 


TYPE   AND   TYPESETTING  101 

is  short,  the  quads  are  used  to  fill  out  to  the  end  of  the 
line,  a  tight  fit  being  had  by  the  use  of  proper  spaces. 

Spaces  are  useful  to  the  advertising  writer  in  that 
they  can  be  used  to  give  prominence  to  letters.  Where 
an  extended  letter  cannot  be  had  or  where  even  an  ex- 
tended letter  will  not  cover  a  line,  the  letters  themselves 

The     Grand 
The        Grand 

Figure  22. — Spacing  letters  gains  prominence 
without  increasing  the  height. 

can  be  spaced  out.  This  spacing  seems  to  give  a  larger 
letter  without  increasing  the  height.  An  eight  point 
may  be  made  to  look  as  prominent  as  a  close  ten  point 
without  using  more  than  an  eight  point,  as  is  shown  in 
Figure  22.  This  is  often  handy  working  on  small  matter, 
such  as  a  vest-pocket  program  or  in  a  small  newspaper 
space, 

"Leads"  (pronounced  leds),  are  strips  of  metal,  either 
one-point  brass  or  two-point  type  metal.  They  are  used 
to  slip  between  the  lines  of  type  to  add  space  or  to  give 
prominence.     Just  as  spacing  out  the  letters  makes  them 

Using  two-point  leads  between  lines  gives  the  appear- 
ance of  greater  prominence  to  the  letters  and  makes  them 
more  easily  read,  a  six  point  will  look  almost  like  an 
eight  point,  while  still  giving  the  greater  number  of  words 
to  the  line  that  the  six  point  afifords. 

Using  two-point  leads  between  lines  gives  the  appear- 
ance of  greater  prominence  to  the  letters  and  makes  them 
more  easily  read,  a  six  point  will  look  almost  like  an 
eight  point,  while  still  giving  the  greater  number  of  words 
to  the  line  that  the  six  point  affords. 

Figure  23. — The  same  matter 
solid  and  leaded. 

more  prominent  so  does  leading  give  greater  prominence 
to  lines,  as  is  shown  in  Figure  23.  Lines  are  said  to 
be  "opened"  with  leads.     Where  instructions  are  given 


102  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

merely  to  lead,  two-point  leads  are  used.  Double  leading 
means  opening  with  two  two-point  leads,  or  four  points 
of  space.  In  body  type  it  is  seldom  advisable  to  use 
more  lead  than  two-thirds  of  the  height.  In  display  or 
job  work  this  rule  does  not  apply. 

"Slugs"  are  metal  strips  six  or  twelve  points  high. 
They  are  used  the  same  as  reglet.  "Reglet"  is  a  strip 
of  wood  used  for  the  same  purpose  as  leads.  It  is 
cheaper  and  lighter  than  metal.  A  twelve-point  reglet 
is  a  pica.  Larger  than  pica  the  wood  becomes  "furniture" 
and  comes  one,  two,  three,  four,  five,  and  ten  lines,  or 
picas.  Metal  furniture  is  cast  from  type  metal.  In  the 
shape  of  an  "I"  bar  it  is  "railroad"  furniture.  When 
cast  in  squares  or  oblongs  it  is  "quotation"  furniture.  In 
length  and  breadth  these  last  are  multiples  of  two  picas. 

Type  must  be  set  in  a  solid  mass  "all  square"  and 
leads,  reglet  and  furniture  are  used  to  take  up  the  space 
not  occupied  by  type. 

Rules  are  strips  of  brass,  type  high  and  of  varying  faces. 
"Flush"  rule  prints  the  entire  face,  but  a  hair  line  may 
be  cut  on  a  twelve-point  body  or  two  or  more  lines  may 
be  cut.  If  rule  is  cut  into  a  series  of  dots  or  dashes  such 
as  are  used  in  program  work  to  connect  the  name  of  a 
character  with  the  name  of  the  player,  it  is  called 
"leader."  Leader  is  also  cast  in  type  metal.  Where 
rule  is  called  for  a  flush  rule  of  that  point  is  meant.  If 
some  other  rule  is  wanted  the  proper  number  .s  given  or 
a  specimen  of  the  rule  desired  is  pasted  onto  the  copy. 
Rule  is  "mitred"  when  cut  at  an  angle  to  join  another 
piece.  An  angle  of  45  degrees  will  give  the  ordinary  right 
angle.  Because  of  the  danger  of  these  angled  pieces 
slipping  past  each  other,  it  is  more  commcn  to  use 
"mitres"  or  brass  cast  to  a  square  corner.  The  strip  rule 
seats  against  this  and  cannot  slip  past.  The  careful 
advertiser  will  insist  on  mitres  being  used. 

Rule  is  cut  "labor  saving"  when  it  is  supplied  in 
lengths  graduated  by  ems,  or  by  ens  in  the  smaller 
lengths.  This  saves  stopping  to  cut  the  rule  needed  for 
a  job. 

Double  line  or  "parallel"  rule  is  used   in   newspaper 


TYPE   AND   TYPESETTING  103 

make-up  to  cut  off  a  column.  If  a  story  in  column  one 
runs  a  column  and  a  half  and  it  is  desired  to  run  a  headed 
story  at  the  top  of  column  two,  the  remainder  of  the  first 
story  is  placed  at  the  bottom  of  the  second  column  and 
a  double  rule  inserted  above  it.  Where  the  story  runs 
naturally  and  it  is  desired  to  separate  it  from  the  next,  a 
long  dash  is  used.  Where  it  is  desired  to  separate  small 
paragraphs  under  one  general  heading  a  short  dash  is 
used. 

"Dashes''  are  bits  of  rule  cut  away  to  a  more  or  less 
fancy  shape,  just  straight  lines  or  ornamental  forms 
cast  on  type  metal  slugs. 

"Border"  runs  all  the  way  from  a  straight  black  line, 
similar  to  a  rule,  to  the  most  intricate  and  elaborate 
effects.  The  simplest  form  is  the  three-on-six  point 
Newspaper  Border.  This  is  nothing  more  than  a  three- 
point  rule  face  on  a  six-point  body.  There  are  also 
straight  six  and  twelve-point  borders  of  the  same  sort 
They  really  differ  from  rule  work  only  in  that  they  are 
cast  in  metal  and  come  in  lengths,  en,  em,  two  and  four 
ems  wide,  and  are  provided  with  square  and  rounded 
corners.  For  ease  in  making  up,  most  borders  are  cast 
on  six-point  bases  or  multiples  of  twelve  points.  A  border 
may  be  a  single  character  repeated  or  may  consist  of 
two  or  more  characters  worked  in  combination.  The 
effects  vary  from  a  neat  ornamental  line  to  a  panel  of 
intricate  design  suggesting  specially  drawn  effects. 

"Ornaments"  and  "attractors"  are  fancy  cuts  cast  in 
type  metal  and  used  to  give  pictorial  effects  or  to  break- 
ing blank  surfaces.  There  are  some  printers  who  are 
cursed  with  a  desire  to  stuff  their  work  as  full  of  orna- 
ments as  possible,  just  as  there  are  some  who  think  Old 
English  "real  swell."  They  should  be  closely  watched. 
There  are  times  when  the  introduction  of  an  ornament 
will  relieve  too  large  an  expanse  of  white  space,  but 
something  better  should  be  found  than  a  naked  cupid  or 
a  floral  horseshoe. 

The  Exhibitor  who  cares  for  the  appearance  of  his  work 
will  do  well  to  purchase  a  few  fonts  of  border  and  per- 
haps some  ornaments,  to  be  used  solely  for  his  own  ad- 


104  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

vertisements.  This  material  should  be  kept  at  the  theatre 
and  sent  to  the  printer  as  needed,  a  receipt  being  obtained 
for  all  material  given.  This  applies  also  to  trade  mark 
cuts. 

Cuts  will  be  treated  in  the  next  chapter.  "Tint  blocks" 
are  merely  surfaces  type  high,  used  for  giving  a  tint  to 
the  material.  A  fire  scene  may  be  printed  in  black  over 
red.  In  this  case  a  tint  block  of  the  proper  size  will  be 
printed  from,  leaving  a  red  imprint  on  the  paper  in  the 
right  place.  Then  the  type  form  will  be  printed,  includ- 
ing the  cut.  Tint  blocks  may  also  be  used  with  light  or 
"tint"  inks  where  it  is  desired"  to  get  a  colored  effect  on 
white  paper.  The  entire  front  page  may  be  tinted  and 
then  printed  on  in  a  deeper  shade  of  the  same  or  a  con- 
trasting color. 

In  "setting"  a  job  the  printer  or  "compositor"  first 
figures  out  the  types  to  be  used.  If  there  is  much  body 
type  this  is  sent  to  a  typesetting  machine.  If  it  is  all 
hand  work  the  compositor  takes  his  "stick,"  a  shallow 
metal  tray  with  two  fixed  sides  and  a  third  movable  side. 
The  top  side  is  permanently  open.  He  adjusts  the  stick  to 
the  measure  of  the  line  to  be  set  by  moving  the  sliding  side 
to  the  proper  place.  The  standard  newspaper  column  is 
either  13  or  ISy^  ems  wide,  but  advertising  may  be  set 
to  any  measure,  or  parts  of  the  advertisement  to  different 
measures.  It  is  well  to  plan  to  have  the  body  type  run 
to  the  standard  measure.  The  display  type  is  a  matter 
of  less  importance.  It  takes  but  a  moment  to  adjust 
the  composing  stick  to  a  new  measure,  but  changing  over 
the  typesetting  machine  is  another  matter. 

The  compositor,  with  his  stick  set  at  the  proper  measure 
for  the  first  line,  goes  to  his  case  and  gets  out  the  proper 
type.  He  places  this  in  the  stick,  piece  by  piece,  until 
the  first  line  is  complete.  If  it  does  not  quite  fill  the  line 
he  adds  spaces  and  quads  until  it  does.  Then  he  sets  the 
second  line  and  a  third,  and  so  on  until  his  stick  is 
full.  Then  he  "dumps"  it  onto  a  galley,  a  shallow  tray 
of  brass  or  zinc,  and  so  on  until  he  has  the  matter  all  set. 

If  the  advertisement  is  broken  up  into  sections  of 
various  measures,  these  parts  are  kept  separated  until  they 


TYPE   AND   TYPESETTING  105 

are  all  ready,  when  they  are  assembled  in  accordance  with 
the  "copy"  or  "layout."  The  copy  is  the  matter  to  be  set 
and  may  be  laid  out  as  it  is  to  run,  but  where  there  is  an 
intricate  design  the  advertiser  generally  writes  the  copy 
and  adds  a  layout  which  should  show  about  the  way  the 
advertisement  should  look,  all  of  which  will  be  explained 
in  its  proper  chapter. 


Dont  KicK 

'  Don't  kick  you  if  cone  to  the  De- 
light about  halfpat  eight  and  ^annot  get 
in. 

Our    preformances   start    at    half 
past  seven  and  nine   o'clock,  and   it   is 
better  to  catch  the  second  show.     This 
is  precisely  the  same  sn  every  particular 
because  the  operator  is  never  permitted 
to  rush  the  films  through  because  is  in  a 
hurry  to  get  ho'..e.    He  must  take  hom 
12    to    18    minutes  to  the  reel,  Jas  the 
subject  dem  ands  or  explain  why. 

But- 

Jack  Easman  is  not  that  stort  of  opera- 
tor.     He  takes  a  prid  in  his  work.and 
this  is  why  our  pictures  are 
Bright 
Distinct 
Fiickerless 

Figure   24. — "Dirty''   proof   before 
being  read. 

Once  the  advertisement  is  "justified"  so  that  there  is 
not  the  least  loose  space  anywhere,  it  is  wedged  into  the 


106  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

galley  and  a  "proof"  is  "pulled."  This  is  done  by  inking 
the  face  of  the  type  with  a  roller  and  setting  the  galley 
with  the  type  in  a  proof  press,  which  is  nothing  more 
than  a  heavy  iron  tray  with  sides  providing  a  way  for  a 
padded  iron  roller.  The  type  is  covered  with  a  piece  of 
damp  paper,  to  make  it  take  the  ink  better,  and  the  roller 
is  passed  over  the  type,  giving  a  rough  impression  of  the 
job.  This  is  sent,  with  the  copy,  to  the  proofreader, 
who  compares  the  result  with  the  copy,  marks  all  errors 


T^     L    DontKicK       ©     © 

(£)  Don't  IdckT^ulj^co/e  to  the  De-^j^!^:^  ^l/ 

(£)  -i^     light  about  haj^paj^  eight  and^annot  get  sJ  ^  @ 

y^       -i^^yx/  *Uur    pr;|tormances   start   at    half 
past  seven  and  nine    o'clock,  and    it    is 
betterjg^atch  the  second  show.     This 
IS  precisely  the  same /i  every  parlicularj 
Cmty  toU]\     ^ecause  the  operator  is  never  permilte 
to  rush  the  films  through  because  is  in 
hurry  to  get  hoXe.    He  must  take'from  ^^ 

Qljxo  <|8)  minutes  to  the  reel^^s  the     ^    QD 
sulsject  denTands  or  explain  why^C^      Cl^Ji^  V^ 

[1®      ^  B/t-       "^^  '^®^ 

t)    v£^      ^^^^  Eajipan  is  Tftj^^that  stort  of  opera-    /'C^'^'^t/,  ^T 
y^  .    '°'^'      ^^  '^''"  ^  P"<4\i"  ^"s  workfand  ^1^^/ (^0) 
I      '     ^W  's  why  our  pictures  are  /  '         * 

^-\      DJ  Bright     \ 

\IS^   Um  Distinct     \   ^t^cu.^  (Q) 
rfnf[}  Flickerless    \  ff/  ^^ 

Figure  25. — The  same  proof  marked  for  correction. 

and  returns  it  to  the  printer,  who  corrects  it  and  pulls 
another  proof.  This  proof,  called  the  "revise,"  is  sent 
to  the  advertiser,  if  there  is  time,  for  his  approval.  He 
makes  such  corrections  as  seem  necessary  and  marks  the 
proof  "O.  K.,  with  corrections,"  He  adds  his  initials  and 


TYPE   AND   TYPESETTING  107 

returns  the  proof  to  the  printer.  He  cannot  thereafter 
complain  of  any  mistake  that  has  been  made  unless  the 
proof  shows  that  the  error  was  marked  for  correction. 

All  common  errors  are  caught  by  the  proofreader  on 
the  first  reading  and  it  is  seldom  that  the  Exhibitor  will 
receive  such  "dirty"  proof  as  is  shown  in  Figure  24. 
This  is  purposely  set  to  show  as  many  mistakes  as  pos- 
sible. 

Don't  KicK 

Don't  lack  if  you  come  to  iKe 
Delight  about  half  past  eight  and  can- 
not get  in.  Our  performances  start  at 
half  past  seven  and  nine  o'clock,  and 
it  is  better  to  come  a  little  later  and 
catch  the  second  show.  This  is  pre- 
cisely the  same  in  every  particular 
because  the  operator  is  never  permitted 
to  rush  the  films  through  because  he  is 
in  a  hurry  to  get  hcnne.  He  must  take 
from  twelve  to  eighteen  minutes  to  the 
reel,  as  the  subject  demands,  or  ex- 
plain   WHY. 

But" 

Jack  Eastman  is  not  that  sort  of  opera- 
tor.    He  takes  a  pride  in  his  work,  and 
that  is  why  our  pictures  are 
Bright 

Distinct 

Flickerless 
Figure    26. — ^The    advertisement    after 
correction. 

Figure  25  shows  the  same  proof  after  corrections  have 
been  marked  in.     It  should  be  noted  that  the  numbers  in 


108  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

the  circles  are  not  a  part  of  the  proof  marking  but  are 
used  here  to  refer  to  the  various  marks.  Mark  (1)  at 
the  top  of  the  page  looks  like  a  bracket  or  a  capital  "E" 
with  the  centre  line  removed.  This  indicates  that  the 
line  is  to  be  brought  to  the  left  to  where  the  mark  stands. 
Had  the  mark  been  turned  the  other  way  and  placed  to 
the  right  of  the  line,  it  would  mean  that  the  line  was  to 
be  taken  in  that  direction.  Mark  (2)  is  a  double  mark- 
ing. To  the  left  is  an  inverted  caret  and  a  comma.  But 
since  the  caret  is  inverted  it  is  not  a  comma  but  an  apos- 
trophe that  is  to  be  inserted.  An  inverted  caret  between 
the  last  two  letters  of  "don't"  shows  where  the  apostrophe 
is  to  be  inserted.  Were  the  apostrophe  merely  to  be  in- 
serted in  the  "don't,"  it  might  escape  notice,  so  the  caret 
is  put  there  to  show  where  it  goes,  but  the  mark  is  also 
taken  out  to  the  margin  where  it  will  surely  be  seen.  Just 
below  are  the  unmarked  letters  "tr"  standing  for  "trans- 
pose." In  the  first  line  of  the  body  type  is  a  companion 
mark  showing  the  words  to  be  transposed,  in  this  case 
"you"  and  "if."  Mark  (8)  shows  the  same  sign  used  to 
transpose  the  second  and  third  letters  of  "performance," 
though  sometimes  the  letters  are  marked  off  and  written 
in  the  margin  in  their  porper  order.  Marks  (3)  and  (7) 
both  read  "run,"  but  the  first  tells  to  "run  over"  and  the 
second  to  "run  in."  It  is  bad  form  to  split  the  name  of 
the  theatre.  In  this  case  the  division  is  very  bad.  The 
"run  over"  tells  the  printer  to  take  the  two  letters  over 
to  the  next  line  and  fill  in  with  spacing.  "Run  in" 
means  that  there  is  to  be  no  paragraph  there.  The  mark 
connecting  the  end  of  the  third  line  with  the  commence- 
ment of  the  fourth  means  the  same  thing.  It  might  have 
been  written  "no  par."  for  "no  paragraph  here."  Mark 
(4)  looks  like  a  spiral.  It  tells  the  printer  that  there  is  a 
letter  upside  down.  A  line  has  been  drawn  through  the 
letter  to  indicate  which  it  is.  In  this  type  a  reversed 
letter  is  very  apparent,  but  in  a  face  in  which  the  space 
is  about  evenly  divided  between  the  body,  the  ascender 
and  descender,  an  "s,"  or  similar  letter  may  get  upside 
down  and  scarcely  be  noticed.  Mark  (5)  shows  a  double 
cross.    It  means  that  space  must  be  used.    Looking  down 


TYPE   AND    TYPESETTING  109 

the  line  you  see  a  caret,  that  means  something  is  to  be 
put  in.    It  is  that  space  which  will  make  division  between 
"half"  and  "past.     "Mark  (6)  is  the  letter  "m"  followed 
by  the  slanting  line.     In  the  line  you  will  see  a  similar 
mark  throught  the  "n"  in  "cone."    That  tells  the  printer 
to  put  an  "m"  in  there  and  make  it  spell  "come."     The 
same  thing  is  done  just  below  to  get  the  "s"  in  "past." 
Mark   (9)   says  "see  copy."    When  the  copy  is  looked 
up  it  will  be  found  that  where  the  caret  comes  the  words 
"come  a  little  later  and"  have  been  left  out.    The  words 
make  sense  as  they  stand,  but   the  others  must  be  in- 
serted.     Mark    (10')    consists   of   several   perpendicualr 
lines.    If  you  will  look  at  Figure  24  you  will  notice  that 
here  the  type  bulges  out  of  alignment.    The  lines  tell  the 
printer  to  get  the  matter  straightened  up.     If  the  lines 
were  horizontal  instead  of  perpendicular  it  would  mean 
that  the  lines  were  running  up  or  down  instead  of  bulging 
out.    The  lines  are  repeated  on  the  left.    About  the  same 
place  is  a  draw  line  leading  to  the  space  between  two 
lines.    Above  is  written  "one  lead."    Reference  to  Figure 
24  will  show  that  two  have  been  used  there  where  the 
others  carry  but  one.    Mark  (11)  is  merely  a  cross  mark, 
repeated  in  the  line  over  a  battered  "m"  in  "home."   The 
mark  tell  the  printer  to  get  a  good  letter  in  there  instead. 
The  same  mark  is  repeated  on  the  other  side  to  call  atten- 
tion to  the  fact  that  a  thin  space  has  come  up  so  high  that 
it  prints.    In  this  case  the  printer  merely  shoves  the  space 
down.     Mark  (12)  looks  like  ()  on  their  side.    It  shows 
that  "demands"  is  to  be  brought  together  as  one  word. 
Mark  (13)  is  merely  a  circle  drawn  about  the  figures  in 
the  text.     It  is  a  sign  that  they  should  be  spelled  out. 
It  means  the  same  thing  when  drawn  around  an  abbre- 
viation.    Mark  (14)  shows  the  abbreviation,  "caps"  and 
three  lines  below  the  word  "why."    In  the  finished  proof 
this  word  is  capitalized.     Mark   (15)   is  merely  "w.  f." 
in    connection    with    a   line    struck   through    the    "u"    in 
"But."     The   first   and   last   letters   are   Cheltenham  old 
style.     The  "u"  is  from  a  font  of  Post  Monotone.     It 
is  wrong  font,  and  to  be  changed.    Something  else  is  the 
matter  with  that  "But"  for  there  is  a  bracket  to  pull  it 


no  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

over  to  the  left.  Mark  (16)  is  a  "querry."  The  proof 
reader  knows  that  the  operator's  name  is  "Eastman" 
and  not  "Easman."  But  he  has  no  authority  to  change 
it.  It  may  be  that  "Easman"  has  taken  "Eastman's" 
place.  He  must  let  it  stand,  but  he  makes  the  correction 
and  a  ?.  If  the  "t"  should  go  in,  the  advertiser  crosses 
off  the  question  mark.  If  the  "t"  should  remain  out,  both 
the  question  mark  and  the  correction  mark  are  crossed 
off.  In  this  case  the  "t"  is  wanted  and  only  the  question 
mark  is  crossed.  A  ring  drawn  around  the  query  to  show 
that  it  is  not  a  regular  correction  but  one  depending  on 
the  advertiser's  decision.  Save  in  the  case  of  something 
to  be  spelled  out,  a  ring  around  anything  on  proof  or 
copy  means  that  it  is  a  note  and  not  something  to  be  set 
Maik  (17)  is  the  abbreviation  for  "Roman."  It  means 
that  the  italicized  word  is  to  be  set  in  Roman  instead. 
Marks  (18)  and  (19)  are  to  be  read  together.  "Stagger" 
means  to  set  unevenly.  The  ornaments  to  the  left  in- 
dicate em  quads  and  the  number  of  quads.  The  first  line 
is  to  be  "indented"  two  em  quads,  not  pica  quads,  but 
ems  of  the  type  being  used.  Four  quads  are  to  be  put 
before  the  second  and  six  before  the  third.  Mark  (200 
is  double.  There  is  a  comma  and  a  double  cross.  It 
means  to  put  a  comma  and  a  space  after  "work."  Just 
in  front  of  that  there  is  a  line  and  an  "e."  That  letter 
is  to  complete  the  word  "pride."  A  line  is  drawn  after 
the  letter  to  mark  it  off  from  the  next  correction.  Where 
there  is  more  than  one  correction  to  a  line  the  one  nearest 
refers  to  the  first  to  be  taken  up  if  on  the  right,  or  to  the 
last  if  on  the  left.  Just  above  the  quad  mark  is  an  un- 
marked sign  that  looks  like  a  capital  "J."  This  really  is 
supposed  to  be  the  Greek  "delta"  or  "d,"  the  initial  of 
the  word  "delete ;"  to  take  out.  It  is  one  of  the  most 
important  marks  in  proof  reading,  because  one  most 
frequently  used.  If  a  line  is  struck  through  a  word  or 
letter  and  this  sign  is  written  in  the  margin,  the  word 
or  letter  comes  out.  Another  important  mark  has  been 
left  out  entirely.  This  is  "stet,"  which  means  to  keep  in 
something  marked  to  be  taken  out.  If  you  cross  out  a 
line  and  then  decide  to  leave  all  or  a  part  of  it  in,  you 


TYPE   AND   TYPESETTING  111 

write  stet  in  the  margin  and  mark  dots  under  the  matter 
you  want  to  stay  in.  If  you  have  crossed  off  four  words 
and  want  two  of  them  only  to  stay  in,  you  mark  dots 
under  the  two  that  are  to  remain. 

These  marks  will  give  you  about  all  you  need  to  know 
of  marking  proof.  Probably  at  some  time  you  will  use 
them  all. 

The  matter  of  printing  and  typesetting  is  more  fully 
taken  up  here  than  some  might  believe  to  be  warranted, 
but  this  is  not  true.  Good  printing  is  the  basis  of  good 
advertising  and  to  get  good  printing  the  advertiser  must 
not  only  know  what  he  wants  but  be  able  to  tell  others 
what  that  is.  The  man  who  goes  into  a  printing  office 
able  to  talk  intelligently  to  the  printer  in  his  own  lan- 
guage, is  bound  to  get  better  results  than  the  man  who 
does  not  know  the  difference  between  a  ten-point  display 
type  and  an  eight-point  Roman. 

At  best  it  is  a  constant  state  of  battle  between  the 
printer  and  the  advertiser.  The  printer  wants  to  make 
a  good  job.  So  does  the  advertiser.  The  printer's  idea 
of  a  good  job  is  one  in  which  type  is  well  selected  and 
balanced.  The  advertiser,  on  the  other  hand,  wants  to 
have  the  pulling  lines  show  up. 

The  printer  sets  his  heavy  type  at  proper  intervals, 
keeping  the  bulk  of  the  display  to  the  top.  The  adver- 
tiser may  want  two  forty-eight-point  lines  close  together 
in  the  lower  half  of  the  advertisement  without  being  able 
to  say  so.  The  advertiser  who  knows  type  will  not  want 
to  do  so,  because  he  will  know  that  the  two  lines  will 
kill  each  other  and  be  worse  than  useless  (See  Figure  30'). 
At  least  he  will  not  make  these  pronounced  errors,  and 
to  that  extent  he  will  have  the  respect  of  the  compositor. 

The  best  way  is  to  get  into  touch  with  the  man  who 
actually  sets  your  type.  Talk  each  job  over  with  him. 
Listen  to  his  suggestions.  Accept  what  you  can.  Ex- 
plain why  you  cannot  take  the  rest.  Get  on  a  friendly 
footing.  Printers  are  used  to  being  damned  for  their 
own  acts  and  the  faults  of  others,  but  they  do  net  like 
it  any  more  than  do  the  rest  of  us.  The  man  who  storms 
in,  blows  up  and  rushes  out  again  will  never  get  the  help 


112  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

that  will  be  given  the  man  who  has  a  smile  on  his  face 
and  an  occasional  pass  in  his  pocket. 

Do  not  pretend  to  know  more  than  you  do  know,  but 
show  that  you  do  know  something.  Keep  your  eyes  open 
and  be  willing  to  ask  questions  and  you  will  soon  know 
the  rest.  There  are  Exhibitors  who  now  run  their  own 
small  plants  with  no  other  experience  than  that  obtained 
while  visiting  the  printing  offices,  and  some  of  these  do 
excellent  work.  Be  willing  and  anxious  to  learn  and  the 
printers  will  be  only  too  glad  to  teach  you,  because  it  will 
make  their  own  work  easier. 

Master  thoroughly  the  routine  of  the  printing  office. 
Know  when  you  are  given  a  proper  excuse  for  a  delayed 
job  and  when  you  are  being  held  up.  Learn  not  only 
type  sizes  but  type  faces. 

Select  a  good  printer,  a  man  with  plenty  of  type  and 
a  good  supply  of  material  that  is  up  to  date.  It  may 
cost  you  more  to  work  with  such  an  office  than  with  some 
small  job  printer,  but  the  results  will  generally  be  in 
excess  of  the  increased  charge.  It  does  not  always 
happen  that  the  biggest  shop  is  the  best,  for  a  small  man 
may  have  a  small  but  good  equipment  against  a  large 
but  old  fashioned  one,  and  the  proprietor  may  be  an 
artist  in  his  business  just  starting  in  for  himself.  Try 
them  out,  but  do  not  stay  where  you  are  given  bad  work. 
Battered  and  worn  type  faces  and  poor  impressions 
suggest  a  dirty  house  and  rainy  films.  Let  your  printing 
be  characteristic  of  your  house  and  of  yourself.  Let  it 
be  one  of  your  credentials. 


HALFTONE   AND    LINE   CUTS  113 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

HALFTONE  AND  LINE  CUTS 

Halftone  screen — use  of  varying  screens — how  the 
halftone  works — suiting  the  cut  to  the  paper — 
preparing  cut  copy — sizing  cuts. 

Cuts  used  by  Exhibitors  fall  into  two  general  classes, 
line  and  halftone.  Most  cuts  do  belong  to  one  or  the 
other  of  these  classes,  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  discuss 
more  than  the  straight  line  and  halftone  cuts,  for  it  is 
seldom,  if  ever,  that  the  Exhibitor  will  be  called  upon  to 
handle  other  plates. 

The  simplest  cut  is  the  line  cut.  This,  as  its  name 
implies,  reproduces  in  lines  whatever  is  on  the  drawing. 
It  is  either  solid  black  or  solid  white,  and  any  intermediate 
shade  is  obtained  through  cross  hatching  with  fine  or 
coarse  lines.  Copy  for  line  cuts  should  be  in  black  ink 
on  white,  unglazed  paper  or  card  to  get  the  best  results. 
A  black  line  on  a  dark  green  or  red  card  will  not  repro- 
duce (See  Figure  107).  Line  cuts  may  be  used  on  any 
grade  of  paper. 

Halftones  reproduce  not  alone  the  blacks  and  whites 
but  all  the  intermediate  graduations  from  white  to  black, 
known  as  the  "halftones,"  from  which  the  process  takes 
its  name.  This  is  made  possible  through  the  use  of  a 
screen  which  cuts  the  surface  of  the  plate  into  tiny  dots 
or  stipples.  A  screen  consists  of  very  clear  glass  ruled 
with  a  diamond  into  lines  ranging  from  fifty  to  two 
hundred  to  the  inch.  Two  of  these  plates  of  glass  form 
a  screen,  the  lines  of  one  plate  crossing  at  right  angles 
the  lines  of  the  other.  This  breaks  up  into  dots  the 
solid  masses  in  the  copy,  whether  they  are  white  or  black 
or  halftones. 

To  get  a  better  idea  of  just  what  this  means,  let  us 
suppose  a  wall  built  of  tiles  one  inch  square.     Suppose 


114  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

that  every  other  square  was  white  and  the  others  black. 
If  you  could  stand  far  enough  away  from  that  wall,  it 
would  appear  to  be  not  black  and  white,  but  gray,  because 
from  that  distance  the  black  and  white  would  merge  into 
a  solid  mass  of  color.  If  the  wall  were  built  with  only 
one-third  white  squares  and  the  rest  in  black,  the  result 
would  be  gray,  but  a  much  darker  gray,  because  now 
there  would  be  less  white  to  mix  with  the  black.  On  the 
other  hand,  were  the  wall  all  black  squares,  though  set 
in  white  cement,  it  would  seem  a  solid  black  black,  be- 
cause the  fine  white  lines  of  cement  would  be  over- 
shadowed by  the  greater  mass  of  black. 

If  the  builder,  discarding  any  arbitrary  arrangement, 
had  set  the  black  and  white  squares  to  form  a  design, 
having  some  parts  of  this  design  a  mass  of  black  squares, 
other  masses  of  white,  and  more  with  varying  propor- 
tions of  black  and  white,  he  would  get  a  picture,  not 
merely  in  black  and  white,  but  in  varying  shades  of  gray, 
as  well,  according  to  the  proportions  of  black  and  white 
in  those  parts. 

The  nearer  you  came  to  the  wall  the  more  clearly 
you  would  distinguish  the  individual  blocks  of  color, 
until  you  would  arrive  at  a  point  where  you  could  see 
that  there  was  no  graduation  of  color  at  all,  but  merely 
a  mass  of  white  and  black  blocks. 

A  halftone  picture  is  precisely  the  same  thing.  The 
finer  the  screen,  the  finer  the  graduations  of  color.  The 
coarser  the  screen  the  more  evident  does  it  become  that 
it  is  not  shading  but  a  proportion  of  blocks  of  color. 

If  a  halftone  cut  worked  equally  well  on  all  surfaces, 
screens  with  not  fewer  than  one  hundred  lines  to  the 
inch  should  be  used.  But  there  are  differences  in  paper 
and  in  the  inks  used  for  those  papers.  The  cheap  news 
stock  is  little  better  than  fine  blotting  paper  in  its  ab- 
sorbent qualities.  The  ink,  too,  is  one  that  dries  through 
absorption.  It  soaks  into  the  paper.  As  a  result,  if  a 
hundred-screen  cut  is  used  on  news  paper  with  nevv'S 
ink,  the  ink  from  each  square  or  stipple  spreads  to  the 
lines  between,  and  the  result  is  not  a  picture  but  a  blot  of 
black  ink,  save  where  there  are  masses  of  white.     To 


HALFTONE   AND   LINE  CUTS  115 

offset  this,  cuts  are  made  with  only  fifty  or  sixty-five 
lines  to  the  inch  on  the  screen,  and  now  the  dots  are  kept 
so  far  apart  that  the  ink  from  one  cannot  spread  to 
another  dot.  The  result  is  an  efifect  not  so  good  as  a 
hundred  and  fifty  screen  on  fine  plate  paper,  but  it  gives 
a  picture  instead  of  a  blot,  and  unless  brought  too  close 
to  the  eye  it  looks  well  enough.  Take  a  hundred-screen' 
cut  and  magnify  it  so  that  the  dots  and  intervening  dis- 
tances are  just  twice  as  large  as  the  original  and  you 
will  get  precisely  the  same  effect  as  the  fifty  screen. 
Put  a  reducing  glass  on  the  fifty  screen  and  you  will  get 
a  hundred-screen  effect. 

Generally  the  cuts  supplied  by  the  manufacturer  are 
fifty  and  sixty-five  screen.  They  are  intended  for  use 
in  newspapers  and  on  programs  on  cheap  stock.  They 
are  NOT  intended  to  be  used  on  a  fine  grade  of  paper 
and  they  should  not  be  used  on  such  a  grade  any  more 
than  the  fine  screen  should  be  used  on  news  stock. 

If  you  are  getting  out  a  program  or  souvenir  booklet 
on  fine  paper  do  not  use  any  cuts  if  you  cannot  get  the 
proper  screen.  Either  get  the  proper  screen  or  do  with- 
out. As  a  general  thing  correspondence  will  enable  you 
to  obtain  cuts  in  the  proper  screen  or  at  least  cut  copy 
from  which  you  may  have  your  own  cuts  made. 

Halftones  can  be  made  from  any  copy,  but  are  best 
when  made  from  copy  that  is  done  in  black  and  white 
or  in  color,  with  a  proper  knowledge  of  the  photographic 
value  of  those  colors.  It  is  better  to  make  line  cuts  of 
line  originals  and  halftones  only  where  the  halftones 
should  be  preserved.  The  two  cuts  in  the  chapter  on 
tabulating  information  are  line  and  halftones.  If  the 
date  index  cut  (Figure  8)  had  been  made  in  line,  only  the 
printing  would  have  reproduced.  As  it  stands,  the  cut 
shows  the  white  paper  pasted  on  the  gray  card,  which  is 
why  a  halftone  was  made.  In  line  it  would  have  resem- 
bled the  catalogue  card,  and  in  the  case  of  that  cut  copy 
■1-  was  necessary  to  draw  a  black  line  around  the  card  to 
show  the  edge. 

Halftone  effects  can  be  gotten  from  line  cuts  to  a  cer- 
tain extent  by  mechanical  stippling  which  in  a  way  takes 


116 


PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


the  place  of  the  screen  in  cutting  the  masses  into  dots. 
This  can  be  done  on  a  prepared  paper  which  is  first 
printed  in  stipple  and  then  coated.  Removing  the  coating 
where  desired  exposes  that  part  of  the  stippling.  An- 
other way  is  to  use  a  Benday  machine,  which  is  practically 
a  machine  for  printing  the  stipples  where  needed.     It  is 


J. 


JL 


-L. 


^C-Ace     OP     //VC^ieS 

Figure  27. — Sizins:  a  cut. 


a  sheet  of  hardened  gelatine  formed  into  stipples.  These 
are  inked.  The  machine  is  laid  over  a  completed  line 
drawing  and  the  sheet  pressed  down  with  a  stylus  on 
those  parts,  requiring  stipples.  The  degree  of  force  used 
determines  to  some  extent  the  size,  and  therefore  the 
blackness,  of  the  stipples. 


HALFTONE   AND    LINE   CUTS  117 

Halftones  cannot  be  made  from  halftones  save  where 
the  same  screen  is  used  and  exactly  matched  to  the 
screen  of  the  halftone  cut  copy.  This  can  be  done,  but 
it  is  an  expensive  proceeding.  Where  it  is  not  done  the 
reproduction  suggests  that  it  has  been  printed  on  watered 
silk. 

It  is  well  to  remember  that  copy  reduces  better  than  it 
enlarges,  but  if  line  copy  having  fine  hatching  is  reduced 
too  much  the  lines  will  be  brought  too  close  together. 

In  marking  for  reproduction  it  must  be  born  in  mind 
that  a  cut  enlarges  or  reduces  in  proportion  in  both 
dimensions.  A  drawing  that  is  four  inches  square  can- 
not be  reduced  to  two  inches  wide  and  two  and  a  half 
inches  high.  It  will  reduce,  in  proportion,  to  two  inches 
high. 

Just  how  to  size  cuts  is  shown  in  Figure  27.  A  diago- 
nal line  is  drawn  or  formed  with  any  straight  edge 
from  the  lower  left  hand  corner  of  the  copy  to  the  upper 
left  hand  corner.  In  the  example  shown  the  larger  square 
represents  a  drawing  ten  by  twelve  inches,  which  it  is 
desired  to  reduce  to  five  inches  wide.  A  point  is  marked 
five  inches  from  the  lower  left  hand  corner  along  the 
lower  edge  and  the  distance  from  the  edge  to  the 
diagonal  is  found  to  be  six  inches.  If  the  cut  were  to 
be  reduced  to  six  inches  high  and  it  was  desired  to  learn 
how  wide  it  would  be,  the  mark  would  be  made  from 
the  lower  left  hand  corner  to  a  point  six  inches  above 
on  the  left  hand  margin  and  the  horizontal  line  would  be 
measured,  giving  five  inches  in  width. 

In  marking  cuts  it  is  customary  to  mark  the  width  or 
the  height,  but  not  both,  but  if  you  can  cut  ofif  part  of 
the  top  and  a  cut  must  be  a  certain  measurement  each 
way,  then  mark  it,  say:  "Three  inches  wide.  Crop  to 
four  inches  high,"  and  the  waste  portion  will  be  cut 
away  to  the  exact  proportion.  Where  you  wish  only  a 
part  of  the  drawing  to  show,  you  need  not  mark  the 
face  of  the  drawing  but  mark  lines  in  the  margin  to 
show  where  to  trim. 

Halftones  are  generally  finished  with  a  line  around 
the  edge.    A  vignette  efifect  is  that  in  which  the  cut  seems 


118  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

gradually  to  fade  into  the  paper.  If  the  base  is  left 
square  and  only  the  upper  part,  around  the  head  of  a 
portrait,  is  vignetted,  this  is  called  a  vignette  with  a  square 
base.  The  background  may  be  made  a  solid  black  by 
burnishing  down  the  background,  or  may  be  cut  away  by 
routing  or  cutting  away  the  metal.  Where  possible,  it  is 
best  to  mark  ofif  with  crosses  the  parts  to  be  burnished 
or  routed. 

Cuts  are  charged  for  by  the  "square,"  which  is  a  square 
inch.  As  a  rule  no  charge  is  made  for  less  than  ten 
inches.  This  is  known  as  the  minimum  charge.  Line 
cuts  cost  about  half  the  price  of  halftones,  and  electros 
cost  about  half  of  the  price  of  the  original.  An  electro 
is  a  reproduction  of  a  cut  by  an  electrical  process.  It  is 
practically  a  duplicate  of  the  original,  though  the  lines 
are  not  quite  so  sharp.  Only  the  original  will  yield  a 
good  electro,  and  if  a  cut  is  to  be  used  much  it  is  better 
to  have  an  electro  made  at  once  and  hold  the  original 
from  which  to  make  other  electros  as  needed.  Particular 
care  should  be  used  to  preserve  the  originals  from 
scratches,  and  if  cuts  are  handled  it  is  a  good  plan  to 
paint  the  base  of  originals  red  or  some  other  vivid  color, 
that  they  may  not  be  confounded  with  the  electros. 

Cuts  should  be  kept  in  cabinets  with  shallow  drawers 
and  not  piled  one  on  another  until  they  topple  over.  Cut 
cabinets  can  be  had  for  about  $35,  but  a  case  stand  (not 
rack),  holding  ten  printer's  cases,  can  be  bought,  filled 
with  blank  cases,  for  about  half  that  sum.  In  a  small 
town  perhaps  a  discarded  spool  cabinet  may  be  purchased 
from  some  dry  goods  store  and  the  partitions  knocked  out. 

Cuts  may  be  stored  in  piles  if  they  are  first  wrapped 
separately.  It  is  well  to  cut  one  or  two  reproductions 
from  the  job  in  which  they  were  used  and  wrap  these 
with  the  cuts,  to  be  used  in  pasting  up  next  time.  Where 
this  is  not  done  a  sufficiently  good  impression  can  be 
gotten  by  inking  the  cut  on  a  rubber  stamp  pad  and 
stamping  on  paper  with  a  blotter  beneath. 

Where  a  hundred  or  more  cuts  of  one  size  can  be  used 
it  may  be  found  cheaper  and  better  to  have  Adcuts  made. 
These  are  cast  in  moulds  in  type  metal  and  should  be 


PRINTING,   PAPER  AND   INKS  119 

ordered   em   square   so  that   they   will  make   up   easily 
with  other  type  material. 

A  matrix  or  "mat"  is  merely  a  special  paper  mould 
for  the  cut.  A  "flong"  of  sheets  of  pasted  tissue  is  beaten 
into  the  cut  with  heavy  brushes  and  baked  under  pres- 
sure. The  result  is  a  perfect  reproduction  of  the  cut 
mould,  that  can  be  mailed  for  little  or  no  cost.  The 
local  printer  puts  it  in  a  casting  box  and  pours  in  molten 
metal,  obtaining  an  all-metal  cut.  Matrix  does  very 
well  for  coarse  screen  halftones  and  is  excellent  for  line 
cuts,  but  before  ordering  mats  be  certain  that  you  can  get 
them  cast  up  when  received.  Any  newspaper  using  a 
web  press  can  do  the  work,  but  few  general  printers  are 
equipped  with  a  metal  pot  and  casting  box. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

PRINTING,  PAPER  AND  INKS 

Getting  a  job  on  the  press — styles  of  paper — cutting 
up  stock — suiting  the  paper  to  the  job — inks  must 
be  suited  to  paper. 

In  an  earlier  chapter  we  followed  the  advertisement 
to  the  revised  proof  or  the  type  as  it  stood  ready  to  be 
prepared  for  the  printers.  This  matter  is  taken  to  an 
"imposing  stone,"  a  stone  or  iron  surfaced  table  on  which 
the  type  is  placed  into  the  "forms"  or  "chases"  of  iron 
or  steel.  "Form"  is  generally  used  where  two  or  more 
pages  are  to  be  printed  at  one  time,  though  the  form  is 
put  into  a  chase.  Chase  is  used  if  the  matter  is  made  up 
page  by  page,  either  to  be  printed  so  or  to  be  sent  to  be 
electrotyped.    A  form  is  a  chase  with  more  than  one  page. 

The  form  is  the  pages  assembled  in  such  order  that 
when  the  printed  pages  are  folded  the  proper  pages  face 
each  other.  Two  forms  go  to  make  up  a  "signature," 
though  sometimes  the  two  forms  are  spoken  of  as  one, 
a  sixteen-page  form  being  two  chases  of  eight  pages  each. 


120  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

A  form,  too,  may  be  the  two  pages  of  a  one-sheet  adver- 
tisement to  be  printed  on  both  sides.  In  this  case  paper 
twice  the  size  of  the  finished  job  is  printed  with  both 
pages  on  one  side  at  one  time.  When  half  the  job  is  run 
off,  the  paper  is  reversed  and  again  fed  into  the  press  so 
that  now  the  front  page  prints  on  the  back  of  what  is  to 
be  the  back  page  and  the  other  half  prints  back  pages  on 
the  already  printed  fronts.  Cutting  the  paper  into  two 
sheets  gives  the  finished  job.  On  a  run  of  a  thousand, 
if  printed  a  page  at  a  time,  an  imprint  on  both  sides 
would  mean  handling  the  paper  two  thousand  times.  By 
this  short  cut  the  paper  is  handled  but  a  thousand  times. 
This  is  almost  always  done  on  small  jobs. 

In  any  event  the  type  is  put  into  the  chases  as  it  is  to 
appear  in  print.  The  different  pages  are  separated  by 
furniture  to  secure  the  proper  margins  and  the  mass  of 
type  is  "locked  up,"  by  driving  wedged-shaped  bits  of 
wood  or  metal  (quoins)  between  the  matter  and  the  iron 
bars  of  the  chase.  Properly  locked  up  a  form  can  stand 
a  considerable  amount  of  rough  usage  without  falling 
apart. 

These  forms  are  proved  up  once  more  to  make  certain 
that  they  are  properly  placed,  then  they  are  sent  to  the 
press  room  to  be  put  on  the  press  and  "made  ready." 
Even  a  type  form  requires  some  preparation.  The  make- 
ready  for  a  halftone  form  is  much  more  elaborate.  The 
better  the  job,  the  more  elaborate  are  these  preparations. 
Overlays  are  cut  for  the  parts  of  the  cuts  that  are  to  be 
brought  up.  These  are  bits  of  paper  pasted  to  the  platen, 
on  which  the  paper  lies  as  it  is  pressed  against  the  type. 
The  overlay  corrects  cuts  low  in  spots  or  gives  greater 
contrast  where  such  is  needed,  in  order  to  get  the  best 
effect.  Low  or  slightly  worn  type  is  sometimes  corrected 
in  the  same  fashion. 

On  "flat-bed"  presses  the  form  is  laid  on  the  bed  of 
the  press.  This  bed  moves  up  and  down  a  track,  first 
passing  the  type  under  inking  rollers  and  then  carrying 
it  under  a  revolving  cylinder  carrying  a  sheet  of  paper 
to  be  printed.  This  prints  only  on  one  side  and  presently 
the  other  half  of  the  form  must  be  printed  on  the  other 


PRINTING,    PAPER   AND   INKS  121 

side  to  get  the  complete  job.  If  two  or  more  forms  are 
to  be  printed  for  one  job  each  of  these  sheets,  properly 
folded,  is  called  a  signature,  and  the  front  page  of  each 
carries  a  signature  mark  by  which  the  bindery  girls  may 
know  them.  One  of  each  signature  is  taken  in  order  and 
the  lot  bound  together. 

In  newspaper  work  the  pages  of  type  are  not  printed 
from  directly,  but  stereotype  plates  are  made,  as  described 
in  the  last  chapter,  the  matrix  is  cast  into  a  curved  plate 
and  this  is  fastened  to  the  cylinder.  In  this  case  the 
cylinders  carry  the  type  and  the  long  belt  or  "web"  of 
paper  passes  first  one  and  then  the  other,  being  printed 
on  both  sides  in  practically  one  operation.  These  presses 
are  known  as  "Webb"  presses. 

Small  jobs  are  usually  run  off  on  job  presses,  where 
the  form  is  small  enough.  In  these  the  chase  is  placed 
in  the  press  and  the  paper  is  forced  against  the  inked  type. 

Whatever  the  system,  the  paper  has  to  be  pressed 
against  the  type  in  order  to  cause  the  ink  to  leave  the 
type  and  adhere  to  the  paper.  This  is  called  the  "impres- 
sion." If  the  impression  is  too  light  not  enough  ink  will 
be  taken  off  the  paper.  If  the  impression  is  too  heavy 
the  type  will  slightly  emboss  the  paper. 

For  rapid  press  work  or  for  work  that  must  be  handled 
soon  after  it  comes  from  the  press,  an  absorbent  paper 
must  be  used  or  the  ink  will  not  dry  quickly.  For  hand- 
bills, throwaways  and  programs  "news"  paper  should  be 
used.  For  better  jobs  a  better  paper  should  be  used,  but 
time  must  be  allowed  for  drying  the  ink. 

The  first  grade  above  fine  news  paper  is  "calendered" 
paper.  This  is  paper  smoothed  and  hardened  by  being 
passed  between  hot  rollers.  The  process  is  precisely  the 
same  as  ironing  out  paper  on  the  kitchen  table  with  a 
warm  flat  iron.  Heat  and  pressure  combined,  flatten  the 
paper  and  give  it  a  smoother  and  harder  surface.  It 
decreases  its  absorbent  powers,  but  it  better  fits  it  for 
taking  finer  screen  half  tones  or  giving  better  results  with 
type  faces. 

Sometimes  the  paper  is  both  "sized"  and  calendered. 
Before  going  through  the  rollers  it  is  treated  with  a  solu- 


122  PICTURE  THEATRE  ADVERTISING 

tion  of  glue  to  give  it  a  still  harder  surface.  Super- 
calendered  paper  is  paper  to  which  more  and  more  fre- 
quent pressure  has  been  applied  in  order  to  get  a  still 
better  surface.  Sometimes  on  a  fancy  job  with  a  grained 
or  pebbled  cover  paper,  the  surface  of  which  is  too  rough 
to  take  ink  from  the  types,  a  certain  space  on  the  cover 
is  calendered.    The  effect  is  good,  but  the  cost  is  large. 

"Coated"  or  "enameled"  papers  are  papers  which  have 
been  surfaced  with  kaolin  or  other  clays.  The  surface 
is  ideal  for  the  finest  screen  halftones,  but  the  heavy 
loading  with  clay  makes  the  paper  very  liable  to  crack. 

Though  sold  by  the  "ream"  of  500'  sheets,  paper  is 
charged  for  by  the  pound.  A  twenty-pound  paper  is  one 
that  weighs  twenty  pounds  to  the  ream.  Paper  comes  in 
standard  sizes  that  differ  slightly  with  the  various  parts 
of  the  country,  or  can  be  ordered  in  any  special  size  at  a 
small  extra  cost.  If  a  paper  of  a  special  weight  has  to 
be  made  up  to  order,  the  manufacturers  will  not  guarantee 
to  produce  precisely  the  amount  ordered  nor  precisely 
that  weight.  They  come  as  close  to  it  as  they  can,  but 
they  claim  a  certain  leeway  in  weight  and  quantity  and 
within  this  the  purchaser  must  stand,  taking  up  a  few 
extra  pounds  or  accepting  a  few  pounds  less.  What  this 
leeway  is  will  be  explained  at  the  time  the  order  is  ac- 
cepted. 

It  is  well  to  know  not  only  the  paper  sizes  to  be  had, 
but  to  keep  posted  on  the  sizes  in  stock.  Sometimes  paper 
of  a  slightly  larger  or  smaller  size  will  be  sold  at  a  reduced 
price  and  the  job  can  be  laid  out  to  fit  the  bargain  stock  if 
the  fact  is  known  in  advance.  In  working  standard  sizes, 
make  the  job  fit.  The  17  by  22  inch  paper  will  cut  into 
fours  the  standard  letter  size  of  8^/2  by  H  inches  or  give 
an  eight  page  of  that  size  folded  in  fours.  If  you  desire 
a  page  eight  by  ten  you  must  pay  for  having  the  paper 
cut  down  and  also  for  the  paper  you  do  not  use. 

For  quick  work  news  must  be  used.  Above  that  grade 
of  job  figure  out  your  paper,  suiting  it  to  the  work  in 
hand.  Do  not  order  a  heavy  coated  paper  where  a  cal- 
endered paper  will  do  as  well,  or  demand  newspaper  for 
a  job  calling  for  calendered  stock. 


PRINTING,    PAPER   AND   INKS  123 

Card  stock  comes  in  sheets  and  is  cut  to  order.  In  get- 
ting stock  be  careful  to  get  bright  colors.  The  very 
cheapest  stock  is  dull  and  lifeless  even  in  the  brighter 
colors,  but  you  can  at  least  avoid  sickly  greens,  grave- 
yard grays  and  dismal  browns.  In  the  better  grades  con- 
ditions are  better  and  it  pays  to  give  a  larger  price  for 
better  stock.  If  you  use  a  red,  get  a  red,  and  not  some- 
thing that  looks  like  an  underdone  brick  and  that  will  be 
thrown  away  unread.  If  you  get  a  blue  or  green  get  a 
bright  color,  one  that  will  appeal  to  the  eye  and  that  will 
be  accepted.  When  you  ask  a  man  to  read  your  appeal, 
at  least  say  "please"  by  making  it  appealing  in  appear- 
ance. 

The  matter  of  ink  should  be  no  concern  of  the  Ex- 
hibitor other  than  a  choice  of  color,  but  it  is  well  to 
understand  something  about  inks  in  order  to  be  able  to 
argue  with  the  printer  when  necessary.  If  you  will  send 
to  the  Superintendent  of  Documents,  Government  Print- 
ing Office,  Washington,  D.  C,  enclosing  ten  cents  and 
asking  for  Circular  No.  53  of  the  Bureau  of  Standards, 
on  the  Composition,  Properties  and  Testing  of  Printing 
Inks,  you  will  be  given  full  information.  What  follows 
is  abridged  from  that  circular. 

Ink  is  made  today  much  the  same  as  it  was  in  the 
earliest  days  of  the  art.  It  consists  of  a  varnish,  a  pig- 
ment and  perhaps  a  drier.  Varnish  in  the  sense  used  is 
not  the  product  of  the  paint  maker  but  an  oil,  generally 
one  boiled  until  it  has  attained  the  proper  consistency. 

Once  boiled  linseed  oil  was  the  only  varnish,  but  with 
the  greater  speed  of  the  modern  press  came  a  demand 
for  a  quick  drying  ink.  Linseed  varnish  dries  through 
oxidization  on  the  surface,  and  this  requires  time.  Inks 
made  with  rosin  oil  dry  by  the  absorption  of  the  ink  into 
the  paper.  These  inks  are  more  fluid  than  linseed  inks. 
A  rough  test  is  that  they  leave  the  type  clean  or  nearly 
so  after  an  impression. 

A  fluid  ink  will  not  be  absorbed  in  a  very  great  measure 
on  calendered  or  coated  papers,  and  takes  longer  to  dry  on 
such  surfaces  than  would  a  linseed  ink.  Linseed  ink 
costs  much  more  than  a  fluid  ink,  but  if  the  printer  has 


124  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

a  job  on  the  press  requiring  a  fine  grade  ink  and  must 
wash  this  off,  ink  with  cheap  ink,  wash  this  up  and  go 
back  to  good  ink  for  a  third  job,  he  is  very  apt  to  run  off 
a  rush  job  with  linseed  ink  that  will  not  be  dry  by  the 
time  it  is  to  be  distributed. 

On  the  other  hand  he  may  try  to  use  a  cheap  ink  on  a 
better  job  and  again  the  ink  does  not  dry.  In  spite  of  the 
excellence  of  the  paper  the  job  will  be  smeary  and  messy. 

Generally  speaking,  ink  suited  to  rush  jobs  on  porous 
paper  will  drip  from  a  spatula  like  oil.  Short  inks,  better 
suited  to  good  grades  of  paper,  will  drip  like  molasses. 

It  is  only  through  a  combination  of  the  right  sort  of 
paper  and  ink  that  a  good  job  will  result  if  the  press 
work  is  right. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

PREPARING  ADVERTISING  COPY 

Making  the  layout — the  type  style  sheet — value  of 
various  factors — playing  up  lines — the  value  of 
spacing. 

There  are  but  two  ways  of  preparing  material  or  'copy" 
for  the  printer.  One  is  to  write  what  you  have  to  say 
and  send  it  to  the  printer,  trusting  to  luck  and  his  skill 
and  intelligence.  The  other,  and  better  way,  is  to 'know 
what  you  want  and  how  to  ask  for  it. 

If  you  deal  with  a  single  printer,  get  him  to  fix  you  up 
a  proof  of  all  the  display  faces  he  has.  Ask  him  to  show 
all  of  the  sizes  he  carries  in  each  face.  Sometimes  a  dis- 
play letter  in  ten  and  eighteen-point  of  the  same  face 
will  look  very  unlike  each  other.  You  may  like  the 
eighteen  point  and  not  the  ten,  or  vice  versa,  so  get  both 
on  the  sheet  and  you'll  know  how  each  looks.  Get  him 
to  write  in  the  name  of  the  face  and  the  point  size  on 
each.  If  your  dealings  are  with  a  newspaper  office  they 
will  probably  have  these  sheets  ready  printed.     If  they 


PREPARING   ADVERTISING    COPY 


125 


have  not,  they  may  welcome  the  suggestion,  but  get  it,  if 
at  all  possible.     It  will  simplify  your  work  greatly. 

Ask,  too,  for  specimens  of  the  border  and  ask  for  some 
of  the  ornaments  you  are  most  apt  to  use.  If  the  printer 
has  no  sheets  and  will  not  make  one  up,  get  copies  of  the 


i3    h 

apu 


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TtlANHOUS[R  THEM 


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TITESEAY,    APRIL   20=J6   luint 
CHARLES  CHAPLIM='»8   Point 
"World's  Greatest  Comedlan^a 
,n  a,  000  Feet    of  Lau«h»=12 

A  JiTJBY  ia,o;i.imT"=(5o 

ou  never  luu^jhed  as  heartily  as 
^fl^^^^i   you  will  wtiwn  you  sec  this  Sssan^ 
iivT.—    ^^  ^^^^  ^j.  jjjyjf,^    Imagine  Charlie 
Chaplin  as   'Coiuit  de  Ha  H«  1 "     If 
you've  iot    "the  blues*  brine  them 
to  Xhanlioiwer  'D'.e&tre  an^i  leave 
theu*   You  can't    take  them  home 
with  you.    It's  Chaplin's  greate 
screen  "uccees,  and 

*"'    !">*'  -ri««^ou^^A  

C0;UliO,j.APRIL   19'C 
•Iffi:  BLACB.  B0i7«=«l»S  Point. 

Ihu  newest   Universal   .>etectlve 
Uj-stery  serial   In  15  episodes.  You 
reaeuiber  "Lucille  Lovw."   ".^w  Jias- 
Hey,"   "Hrey   '0  Keartf,"  and  the 
heart    Interest  aod  thrlllBr  of 
coui-se,   but   "The  Hack  lox"  Is  tettc 
ttian  any  of  '^hem.   It  co***  '   *ond*y 
and  every  Monday  thereafter. 
Always  Booiethlns  ?   little  better  ttnin 
the  ordinary,   every  day  In  the  yea 
except  Sunday. 


*y<c 


(ivup 


i:iJ  to  s;30=7:Jo  io  lo:3(l 
Admission  5c  and  10c. 

Children  under  IC  must  be  accompanied  bg 
V'a'ent    or  iS'jardlan. 


til 


.b  p4 


Figure    28. — The    layout    for    a    three-column 
advertisement. 


paper  and  cut  out  all  of  the  different  faces  you  can  find. 
Paste  these  on  a  single  sheet,  like  a  chart,  then  take  it  to 
the  printer  and  ask  him  to  name  the  styles.     If  your 


126  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


THANHOUSER  THEATRE 

290  NORTH  AVENUE— PHONE  3741 


DON'T  MISS  THIS! 

TUESDAY,  APRIL  20 

CHARLES  CHAPLIN 

WOKLD'S  GREATEST  COMEDLAN 
IN   »,000   FEET   OF   LAUGHS 

"A  Jitney  Elopement" 

You  never  laughed  ai  heartily  as  you  will  when  you 
see  this  Essanay  riot  of  mirth.  Imagine  Charlie  Chap- 
lin as  "Count  de  Ha  Ha !"  If  you've  got  "the  bluet" 
bring  them  to  Thanhouser  Theatre  and  leave  them.  You 
can't  take  them  ome  with  you.  It's  Chaplin's  greatest 
screen  success,  and  that's  saying  a  lot. 

COMING  MONDAY,  APRIL  19 

Ihe  Black  Box" 

The  newest  TTnivenal  Detectire  Mystery  Seiul  In  15  tfisiiti.  Too 
itmembei  "I/ndlle  Lore,"  "Th*  Muter  Key,"  "Trey  0'  Hearts,"  u4  tie 
heut  intereat  tai  thrills,  of  come,  bnt  "The  Black  Box"  b  bettet  thas 
Any  of  tbem.  It  comes  Monday,  and  every  Monday  ther«fter.  Always 
something  a  little  bWter  than  the  ordinary,  every  day  in  the  year  s»cept 
Sunday. 


2:30  to  5:30  7:30  to  10:30 

Admission  5c  and  10c 

Childitn  under  16  years  must  he  accompanied    by   iwrent    or    giiardian. 


Figure  29. — The  advertisement  set  from  the  copy  shown. 


PREPARING  ADVERTISING   COPY  127 

printer  is  not  a  newspaper  publisher  try  and  get  old  jobs 
and  proofs  and  do  the  best  you  can. 

Knowing  what  the  printer  has  in  the  way  of  material, 
you  can  change  your  demands  to  suit  his  supply  until 
you  can  get  him  to  buy  what  you  want.  It  should  be 
your  aim  to  get  a  layout  that  can  be  followed  in  every 
particular.  A  "layout"  is  a  sort  of  map  of  the  advertise- 
ment. On  a  small  advertisement  you  may,  perhaps,  get 
the  copy  on  the  layout.  Figures  38  and  29  show  the 
actual  layout  of  an  advertisement  and  the  advertisement 
that  was  set  from  it. 

You  will  notice  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner  of  Figure 
38  the  words  "3  lOs/30'  in  all."  This  is  another  way  of 
saying  ten  inches  across  three  columns.  Next  to  that 
is  the  statement  that  the  copy  is  for  Saturday  and  Mon- 
day and  "proof  to  Ke'llette  by  Thursday  eve."  The 
gothic  "Than"  is  cut  from  some  other  advertisement  to 
show  just  what  is  wanted,  and  so  is  the  "Thanhouser 
Theatre."  One  corner  of  the  outer  panel  or  box  is 
blacked  in  to  show  that  it  must  be  solid,  which  is  also 
told  by  the  marking.  The  inner  boxes  are  made  of  two- 
point  rule  with  six  points  of  space  between.  Some  of  the 
type  is  left  to  the  printer,  but  the  size  of  most  is  marked 
in. 

Where  the  advertisement  is  small  or  you  are  using 
small  type  in  small  spaces,  you  cannot  write  the  copy 
in  the  space  given,  so  you  make  the  layout  in  outline, 
marking  in  the  larger  type  faces.  The  rest  you  write 
on  separate  pages  on  the  typewriter  and  mark  with  letters. 
You  also  mark  the  same  letters  where  the  copy  is  to  go, 
copy  "A"  going  in  the  space  marked  "A"  on  the  layout. 
In  this  way  you  can  lay  out  a  half-page  advertisement 
and  prepare  the  copy  legibly  and  easily.  Each  piece  of 
copy  will  constitute  a  separate  division  of  the  advertise- 
ment and  will  be  handled  in  the  office  in  that  way.  The 
layout,  which  must  be  drawn  at  least  to  a  rough  scale, 
will  give  the  position  and  proportion. 

In  preparing  copy  for  newspaper  advertising,  you  will 
be  guided  largely,  or  at  least  in  part,  by  the  general  ad- 
vertising  conditions.     You   must   have  your  advertise- 


128 


PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


ment  as  conspicuous  as  any  on  the  page  and,  if  pos- 
sible, more  prominent.  If  the  other  advertisers  use 
only  a  moderate  display,  you  can  keep  your  lines 
down.  If  one  or  two — and  most  always  there  are  one 
or  two — ^think  that  the  only  display  is  a  very  large  and 


^■™ 

THE 
PHOTO 

PLAY 
HOUSE 

.AHEAD 

^Pfe^S 

J* 

THE 
PHOTO 

PLAY 
HOUSE 
AHEAD 

THE  WEEK  AT  THE  PRINCESS 

Tonight,  Friday 

Cniversalreature-"TO««arfHem"" A  three  part  special  attracUoi 

Saturday,  Matinee  and  Night 

Rex— "Her;  Lire's  Story" - One  reel  of  uproarus  fuo 

Eol»lrr"The«u»rrel" One  reel  Western  dram*- 

Monday 

sterling— "Heinle's  Outing" -..- One  reel  Ford  Sterlingoomedy 

101  Bison— "Monsieur  Bluebeard" Two  reel  drama 

Tuesday 

Gold  SeaJFeature.- "TSf  I^ybf  Victorious" Three  reel  feature  altl^ction 

Wednesday 

tJnlversal-" Animated  Weekly" : One  reel  news  of  the  day 

Victor— "The  F^nny  Mr.  Dindle" r _ —One  reel  comedy 

Frontier— "In  the  Hollow  of  the  Oak" .One  reel  drama 

Thursday 

Imp— "The  Stronger  Love" - — One  reel  Mary  Pickford  drama 

Crr8tftl--"The  Lite  Savers".  .;.._ - One  reel  comedy,  a  scream 

Universal  Feati 
World  Fea'ture- 

Friday 

Saturday,  Matinee  and  Night 

■*'Jessofthe  ifounUtn  Country"— Four  reel  special  attraction 

A  novelty  production  with  un  all  star  cast. 

, 

arac«  Ounard  and  Francit  Ford. 

J 

Figure    30. — A    light    advertisement    that    shines 

by   contrast,    in   a    display   of    heavy   type 

announcements. 

very  black  type,  you  must  either  use  larger  and  blacker 
type  or  go  to  the  other  extreme  and  use  a  very  light  face. 
There  are  times  when  white  paper  or  small  type  are  more 
conspicuous  than  the  blackest  and  fattest  four  and  six- 
line  letters  you  can  find.  The  advertisement  shown  in 
Figure  30  stood  out  from  half  a  page  of  poster  type. 


PREPARING   ADVERTISING   COPY  129 

For  throwaways  and  other  matter  to  be  read  at  a 
glance,  the  type  must  be  both  large  and  legible,  but  hi 
your  house  program  and  folders  and  in  other  advertising 
where  you  can  control  the  entire  display,  it  is  well  to 
remember  that  size  is  largely  relative.  Twelve  and 
eighteen-point  letters  will  give  you  precisely  the  same 
relative  display  as  will  twenty-four  and  thirty-six  point 
faces.  It  is  not  the  actual  size  of  the  type,  but  the  size 
of  the  type  in  proportion  to  the  other  faces  used  in  the 
job  that  makes  for  prominence.  You  can  get  precisely  the 
same  effect  with  the  smaller  sizes  and  have  more  room. 

For  straight  house  program  matter  one  Exhibitor  has 
almost  a  fixed  scale  of  ten  points  for  one  reel,  fourteen 
for  two,  eighteen  for  three,  and  an  additional  six  points 
for  each  extra  thousand  feet.     It  is  better  not  to  have 


True  to  His  Trust 

and  the  comedy 

Kicked  by  a  Camel 


True  to  His  Trust 

and  the  comedy 

Kicked  by  a  Camel 

Figure  30. — Height  taken  from  lines  for  spacing 
will    give   display. 

any  fixed  rule,  but  it  is  well  to  remember  that  in  pro- 
grams or  elsewhere  it  is  not  so  much  the  type  as  the  way 
that  it  is  handled  that  counts  for  most.  Keep  to  a  reason- 
able display  in  general  and  then,  when  you  have  reason  to 
use  a  larger  face,  it  means  something  to  those  familiar 


130  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

with  your  advertising  methods. 

Before  you  lay  out  your  advertisement  on  paper,  know 
just  what  you  want  and  where  you  want  it.  You  have  a 
certain  space  at  your  command.  Fill  it,  but  do  not  over- 
crowd it.  If  you  get  your  big  lines  too  close  together 
each  will  nullify  the  other.  Two  thirty-six-point  lines, 
separated  only  by  a  couple  of  lines  of  six  or  eight  point, 
will  be  less  prominent  than  if  you  had  taken  a  line  from 
each  of  these  letters  to  be  used  in  white  space  between. 
Look  at  Figure  31.  Here  are  two  twenty-four-point 
letters  with  one  six-point  line  in  between.  They  are  too 
close  together.  Two  eighteen-point  lines  with  that  sur- 
plus line  traded  for  white  space  will  give  a  better  display. 

It  would  be  even  better  practise  to  still  further  separate 
them  or,  if  space  does  not  permit  this  to  be  done,  to  give 
the  heavy  line  to  the  more  important  title  and  keep  the 
other  down.    If  you  cannot  have  both,  at  least  get  one. 

Decide,  then,  on  the  lines  to  be  given  the  big  display. 
Plan  to  have  the  larger  and  more  important  lines  rise 
to  the  top,  unless  you  have  the  name  of  the  house  in  that 
position,  in  which  case  drop  down  a  little  before  you  use 
your  next  big  line.  Always  keep  the  major  portion  of 
your  display  in  the  upper  half  of  your  advertisement  or  at 
least  in  the  top  two-thirds.  Distribute  the  display  as  you 
would  the  raisins  in  the  pudding,  remembering  that  the 
raisins  in  the  top  show  to  the  best  advantage.  You  need 
some  display  at  or  near  the  bottom  of  the  advertisement 
or  it  will  appear  top  heavy  or  unbalanced,  but  the  bulk 
of  the  display  should  be  at  the  top  as  a  rule. 

The  seecond  great  rule  to  remember  is  that  a  jumble 
of  type,  whether  too  much  type  or  too  many  kinds  of 
type,  will  repel  the  eye.  It  is  permissible  to  use  several 
sizes  of  the  same  letter  or  styles  of  the  same  family,  or 
even  two  families  in  combination  in  a  fairly  large  ad- 
vertisement, or  more  in  a  half  page,  but  while  permissible, 
it  is  seldom  advisable.  Uniformity  of  face  gives  an  ad- 
vertisement an  orderly  and  inviting  appearance  that  in- 
vites the  reader.  Half  a  dozen  faces  and  twice  as  many 
sizes  will  confuse  the  eye.  An  office  of  any  size  at  all 
will  stock  at  least  one  family,  such  as  Cheltenham,  Cen- 


PREPARING  ADVERTISING   COPY  131 

tury,  Post,  or  DeVinne,  and  most  offices  will  have  two  or 
more.  They  will  at  least  have  enough  of  one  family  to 
give  a  reasonable  choice  of  widths  and  sizes.  You  can 
vary  the  size  at  pleasure,  but  it  is  well  not  to  have  too 
many  sizes  in  a  small  advertisement.  Pick  out  three  or 
four  different  sizes  and  stick  to  these  without  changing 
greatly  the  style  of  letter. 

Keep  your  lines  from  running  into  each  other.  Do 
not  try  to  get  too  many  titles  on  a  few  lines  or  you  will 
get  a  result  similar  to  that  in  Figure  21,  where  a  title 
seems  to  be  "Where  the  road  parts  the  tear  than  burned." 

Decide  whether  you  want  a  border.  Most  advertise- 
ments stand  out  better  and  stay  together  better  if  run 
within  a  border.  If  your  decision  is  in  favor  of  a  border, 
select  one  not  too  ornate,  one  that  will  not  detract  too 
much  attention  from  the  type.  The  proper  use  of  the 
border  is  to  hold  the  glance  within  the  space  enclosed; 
not  to  divert  attention.  For  this  reason  a  plain  border  or 
straight  rule  work  is  best  unless  you  make  the  use  of 
some  exclusive  border  a  sort  of  trade  mark,  but  be  sure 
you  can  retain  the  border  as  exclusive  if  you  do  this,  or 
you  will  be  paving  the  way  for  some  other  house. 

The  border  should  be  proportioned  to  the  size  of  the 
advertisement  and  its  environment.  If  all  use  twelve- 
point  border,  you  may  have  to,  but  if  they  use  a  heavy 
rule  in  twelve-point  that  makes  the  advertisement  look 
like  a  death  announcement,  get  something  lighter,  a  Bull- 
finch, for  example.  On  the  other  hand,  by  using  two 
sides  in  twelve-point  rule,  one  long  and  one  short  side, 
and  the  other  two  in  one-point,  mitreing  the  heavy  rule, 
you  can  get  the  suggestion  of  an  actual  box  in  outline, 
that  will  work  well  for  a  few  times.  If  you  take  a  large 
space,  say  a  quarter  of  a  page,  the  Beacon  border  works 
nicely.  This  is  a  series  of  black  squares,  some  of  which 
are  lettered  in  white  on  the  black  ground.  With  this  the 
name  of  the  house  can  be  spelled  out  across  the  page  and 
short  sentences  run  down  the  side  lines,  but  the  border 
is  in  twenty- four-point  in  the  smallest  size  and  should  not 
be  used  for  less  than  a  quarter  page  save  in  exceptional 
circumstances. 


132  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

For  a  novelty  where  you  want  to  advertise  some 
particular  title  to  an  extreme,  frame  a  half-page  adver- 
tisement in  the  title  of  the  film,  as  in  figure  33,  which 
represents  one  corner  of  such  a  frame.  Where  this  is 
done  the  cross  lines  should  be  about  as  deep  as  the  per- 
pendiculars are  wide. 

HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES 
HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  nY'POCRITES 
HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  HY'POCRITES 
HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES 
HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES 
HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES  HYPOCRITES 

HYPOCRITES 
HYPOCRITES 
HYPOCRITES 
HYPOCRITES 
HYPOCRITES 

Figure  32. — A  border  composed  of  the  title  of  a  feature. 


Having  decided  on  your  leading  lines  and  your  border, 
if  you  will  use  one,  mark  a  sheet  of  paper  with  the  size 
the  advertisement  is  to  be.  If  you  use  a  border,  mark 
this  in,  having  the  inside  of  this  space  precisely  what  that 
space  should  be.  Use  stout  paper,  for  it  will  be  subject 
to  rough  handling.  For  the  same  reason  work  in  ink 
instead  of  lead  pencil.  If  you  use  no  border  it  is  better 
to  use  a  dotted  line  in  place  of  a  full  one.  Indicate 
what  the  border  is  to  be,  if  one  is  to  be  used,  either  by 
pasting  a  sample  on  or  writing  its  name. 

If  you  are  going  to  use  panels  or  boxes,  cutting  the 
advertisement  into  sections,  mark  these  in  precisely  as 
they  are  to  be.  so  many  ems  wide  and  so  many  lines  deep. 
Do  not  write  it  in.  Mark  in  the  actual  lines  and  tell  what 
point  rule  is  to  be  used.  If  you  have  a  rule  border,  use 
a  much  lighter  rule  for  the  interior  panels. 

If  cuts  are  to  be  used,  paste  the  proof  into  the  exact 
place  you  want  the  cut  to  be.  If  you  have  no  proof  of 
the  cut  ink  it  on  a  stamp  pad,  or  put  the  cut  down  and 
draw  a  line  around  the  block  on  the  paper.  Now  mark 
the  cut  and  the  space  the  cut  is  to  occupy  with  the  same 
designation,  either  a  letter,  a  number  or  the  name  of  the 
subject.     Just  in  passing,  remember  that  there  must  be 


PREPARING   ADVERTISING    COPY  133 

some  white  space  around  the  cut  and  that  the  cut  also 
has  a  "shoulder"  where  the  nails  are  driven.  Do  not 
plan  to  use  that  space  for  type.  Now  letter  in,  as  neatly 
as  you  can,  all  of  your  display  lines  about  the  height  and 
width  they  are  to  be.  You  can  do  this  with  twelve-point 
or  larger.  Also  write  the  name  of  the  face,  the  style  and 
the  point  size,  that  there  may  be  no  mistake.  Do  not 
write  in  the  letters,  print  them  in. 

Now  prepare  the  body  of  the  text.  If  you  use  boxes, 
letter  the  box  and  mark  the  same  letter  on  a  sheet  of  type- 
writer paper.  Slip  this  into  the  machine.  If  you  do  not 
use  a  machine  write  carefully,  in  ink,  and  print  out  every 
name,  no  matter  how  often  it  is  used.  It  is  best  to  mark 
the  measure.     Say,   for  instance  "8  point  Roman — old 

This    is   one   of   the   strongest   and   best   plays 


we  have  offered  this  season,  and  this  statement 
is  made  in  full  knowledge  of  what  has  gone 
before. 


Figure  33. — The  value  of  rule  in  giving  emphasis. 

Style.  13  em  measure."  Now  write  the  copy  without 
regard  for  measure,  but  with  a  proper  regard  for  how 
many  eight-point  lines  that  box  will  hold  comfortably.  If 
you  have  plenty  of  room  left  on  the  paper,  run  up  a 
half  dozen  lines  and  start  to  write  box  "B."  As  has 
before  been  suggested,  try  to  make  your  lines  standard 
width  in  body  type  or  else  double  that  width. 

Never  let  a  line  run  too  long  for  its  height.  The  eye 
will  refuse  to  run  across  a  half  page  of  six  or  eight-point. 
Do  not  run  six-point  more  than  twenty-six  ems.  If  you 
have  ten  or  more  lines  do  not  run  even  that  wide.  Instead 
run  in  two  columns  with  a  light  rule  in  between.  You 
want  your  advertisement  to  be  read.  That  is  what  you 
pay  out  your  money  for.  Get  what  you  pay  for  by 
making  it  possible  to  read  it. 

In  preparing  this  body  type  it  is  well  to  remember  the 
usefulness  of  leads.     It  has  already  been  shown  that  a 


134  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

six-point  leaded  is  almost  as  good  as  an  eight-point  and 
gives  you  more  words  in  the  same  space.  You  can  get 
still  more  emphasis  by  using  both  lead  and  brass.  Under- 
line the  paragraph  in  one-point  rule,  with  two-point  rule 
between.    It  will  be  more  striking,  as  Figure  33  will  show. 

It  is  tricks  such  as  these  that  save  money  and  bring 
results. 

If  you  want  to  gain  additional  emphasis,  use  italic  or 
full  face  in  preference  to  all  capital  letters.  This  applies 
also  to  too  much  gothic  type,  most  of  which  is  cut  with  a 
single  case,  the  upper.  The  mere  fact  that  you  use  two 
sizes  of  the  same  point  gothic  does  not  help.  The  initial 
letters  will  be  larger  than  the  others,  but  all  of  them  will 
be  capitals.  The  objection  to  an  all-capitals  line  is  not 
the  fact  that  they  are  capital  letters,  but  that  all  capital 
letters  are  of  the  same  height  and  there  is  no  variety 
to  the  eye.  There  are  no  ascenders  rising  to  serve  as  mile 
posts.  There  is  nothing  to  hang  onto  the  line  by.  For 
that  matter  you  cannot  read  a  word  like  "mamma"  as 
easily  as  you  can  "father,"  because  of  this  same  uniform- 
ity of  shape.  All  capital  letters  do  not  give  emphasis  to 
a  line.  They  serve  merely  to  hide  the  facts  you  are  trying 
to  tell. 

Boxes  or  panels  also  give  emphasis.  Rule  work  gen- 
erally costs  more  than  straight  composition  because  it  is 
more  trouble,  but  the  additional  cost  is  much  less  than 
the  additional  return.  Figure  34  gives  four  examples  of 
panel  work.  These  are  actual  examples  and  the  work 
is  not  ideal.  That  one  in  the  upper  right  hand  corner, 
for  example,  should  have  repeated  "The  Grand"  where 
"coming"  stands,  or  the  name  could  have  been  carried 
to  a  single  line  across  the  two  panels.  The  word  coming 
is  set  in  a  type  to  match  the  house  name,  and  it  gives 
balance  in  appearance,  but  the  value  of  the  word  is  far 
less  and  the  word  "tomorrow,"  directly  beneath  in  smaller 
point,  would  have  been  sufficient.  A  large  advertisement 
would  simply  have  meant  more  boxes.  Laying  out  a  page 
with  a  layout  is  no  more  difficult  than  laying  out  that 
many  five-inch  advertisements.  It  takes  a  little  longer 
but  the  task  does  not  gain  in  complexity  through  the  in- 


PREPARING  ADVERTISING   COPY 


135 


crease,  since  you  keep  the  advertisement  to  units  of 
comparatively  small  size  and  are  not  required  to  work  it 
as  a  whole. 


tfrrV   f*9  Ann     "WfERE  THE  BETTEB 
XXlu   XjIXnnLf       MOVIES  ARE  SHOWN 

i  PRESF.NXS  XODAV  | 


*Tlie  Cow  Boy's  CoDqu««t" 

(Biogreph.) 

"Tht  Eiigln«<i'B  PeriT 

(Kolem.) 


COMING  THURSDAY.  MARCH  UUi 
Two  of  VUagraph'B  Late  Broadway  Features 
-The  Locked  Door"      I    "The  Stin  SmaU  Voice' 
In  Three  Thrilline  Acts.     |     In  Two  Pleasine  Acta. 

Both  of  these  Special  Vltagrapb     Features  made     a 
trefaendous  hit  on  Broadway, 


THE  GRAND 

Showing  To  Day 

KAlem's  Latest  Gripping 
and  D&iing  Female  De- 
UHive  Story. 

'mioNiiie  A  ciUE" 

2— PARTS— a 


COMING 

To-Morrow 


"HI  iH[  cimrs 

OF  Iflf. 

»— PAipfe— 3 

Fltnty  of   peal.  Qajdey 

Win  Also  Be  Shown. 


I^^^^THE  GRAND  l"Z 


•TMt  LOVE  OF  A  WOMa 


11,7  T^t^e  Grand  L'gy 

I       Broadway  Star  Features        |, 


NORMA  TAIJIADGE  AND 

DONALD  HALL  IN 

VITARRAPH-S  LATEST 

BROADWAY  STAR  FEATURS 

"The  Daughter's 
Strange  Inheritance" 


Figure  34. — Examples  of  rule  and  panel  work. 


Do  your  work  as  far  ahead  as  possible  in  order  to  give 
the  printer  plenty  of  time.  Mark  it  for  a  particular  day 
or  "wait  orders"  and  give  the  order  at  the  proper  time. 
If  you  can  work  ahead  and  deal  with  several  papers,  send 
your  copy  to  the  one  making  the  best  display.  Ask  for 
extra  proofs  and  send  these  as  copy  to  the  other  papers. 
You  can  get  more  uniformly  good  work  in  this  way.  One 
New  York  paper  is  largely  kept  alive  by  the  advertising 
it  gets  with  requests  for  extra  proofs. 

In  making  your  display  get  lines  that  will  stand  out 
and  be  certain  that  one  line  does  not  fight  another.  Give 
the  largest  type  to  the  best  lines.  There  are  three  factors 
that  must  be  used  in  any  theatre  advertisement.  These 
are: 

The  name  of  the  house. 
The  attraction  offered. 
The  date  of  showing. 


136  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

It  is  useless  to  announce  a  feature  if  you  do  not  tell 
when  it  may  be  seen.  It  is  foolish  to  announce  a  feature 
without  telling  zvhere  it  may  be  seen.  These  three  are 
the  points  that  must  be  covered  in  all  advertising. 

The  date  of  showing  should  be  a  dated  day  and  not  a 
"Next  Wednesday."  If  you  are  advertising  in  a  news- 
paper you  cannot  trust  to  a  date  line.  The  advertisement 
may  become  separated  from  the  running  head  of  the 
paper.  If  it  is  your  house  program,  a  line  on  the  front 
page  to  the  effect  that  this  is  the  program  for  a  certain 
week,  is  not  sufficient.  Name  and  date  each  day.  And 
put  the  date  in  figures.  "Wednesday,  June  10th,"  is  not 
as  elegant  as  "Wednesday,  June  the  tenth,"  but  it  is  better 
business.  Put  a  rule  under  the  date,  and  an  eight-point 
line  will  be  better  than  a  straight  twelve.  It  may  be 
worth  your  trouble  to  fix  it  up  a  little.  A  box  will  cost 
more,  but  if  you  tell  the  printer  to  keep  the  boxes  stand- 
ing, the  cost  will  not  be  heavy  after  the  first  time.  Figure 
35  offers  several  suggestions  for  date  lines. 


Monday,  June  10 


Monday 
June  10 


Monday,  . 

Cune  10. 

Monday, 

Tune  10 

Monday 
June 

10 

Figure   35 — Suggestions   for  dated  days. 


The  house  title  is  the  name  of  the  house.  Do  not  say 
"The  Pastime  Theatre"  as  in  example  "a,"  Figure  36. 
"The"  and  "theatre"  are  not  essential  parts  of  the  title. 
Thirty-six  points  of  space  are  going  to  waste.  The  article 
is  not  needed,  at  best.  Discard  that  entirely.  Set 
"theatre"  in  a  smaller  point  and  get  pomething  more  like 
"b."  Here  you  get  a  larger  type  for  the  theatre  name 
and  yet  you  save  space.  If  you  have  a  short  title,  use  an 
extended    letter    and    space    these    in    the    title,    keeping 


PREPARING  ADVERTISING   COPY 


137 


theatre  down,  as  in  "c."  So  small  a  title  can  go  in  all 
capitals,  where  it  would  be  better  to  set  a  longer  name 
in  upper  and  lower  case.  Sometimes  an  odd  effect  can 
be  aimed  at,  such  as  in  "d."  Avoid  a  too  formal  arrange- 
ment. Do  not  always  put  the  lines  in  the  exact  centre 
of  the  space.  Where  the  name  is  to  go  on  a  small  house 
program  with  little  other  matter,  "e"  or  "f"  are  preferable 
to  "g,"  or  you  can  get  an  oddity,  such  as  in  "h." 


Elxample  A 


Example  B 


Ihe 
Pastime 
Theatre 

Pastime 

Theatre 

Example  C                                                 Elxample  D 

OKAND         g 

Theatre 

GRAND 
N 
D 

Example  E 

The 

Pastime 

Theatre 

Example  F 

The 

Pastime 

Theatre 

Example  G 

Example  H 

The 

Pastime 

Theatre 


PAs 


TiM 


E 


Figure  36. — Suggestions  for  handling  house  titles. 


Almost  equally  important  is  giving  the  hours  of  per- 
formance. If  you  run  continuously,  say  that  the  feature 
starts    at    certain    hours.      Give    something    like:    "The 


138 


PICTURE  THEATRE  ADVERTISING 


Waitabit  runs  continuously  from  one  until  eleven,  but  if 
you  come  at  1:15,  2:30,  3:45,  5:00,  6:15,  7:30,  8:15  or 
10,  you  can  get  the  entire  performance,  including  the 
feature  run  in  its  proper  order." 

If  you  have  a  matinee  and  two  or  more  evening  per- 
formances, state  just  when  each  one  staits  and  stick  to 
that  schedule,  or  tell  just  when  each  feature  will  be 
shown.  Letter  each  subject  and  advertise  that  subject 
A  will  run  at  certain  hours,  and  B  and  C  and  D  at  certain 
other  times.  Let  the  "wise"  man  who  wants  to  see  some 
particular  subject  know  just  when  he  can  see  it,  and  plan 


ROUND 


TRIP 


DAILY  TIME  TABLE— ISIS  ROUTE 

Week  of  June  14th  to  2l9t,  inclusive 

Via  THE  AMUSEMENT  FLYER 

Double  Machine  System.  ConHnuous  pauige  from  9:SZ  A.  M.  till  bedliir 


ROUND 


5c 

TRIP 


TICKET   OFFICE,  542   SOUTH   SPRING  STREET 


Lv.  I   Lv.  I   Lv.  I  Lv.  I  Lv.  I   Lv.  I   Lv.  I  Lv.  I  Lv.  I   Lv. 

9.5211.1212.32  1.52  3.12  4.32  '5.521  7.12J  8.32  9.52 

10.08,1 1.2e|l2.48  2.08'  3.281  4.481  6.08  7.28  8.4810.08 

10.2411.44  1.04'  2.24  3.44  5.04  6.24  7.44  9.0410.24 

10.40  12.0q  1.20,  2.40,  4.00,  5.20|  6.40^  8.00  9.20 

10.56'l2.ld  1.36  2.56  4.16)  5.361  6.56  8.16'  9.36' 


STATIONS 


(0(w)  LESSON  IN  ROMANCE 

(f)(w)         "  "  "  2d  Section... 

(o)(w)        "  "  "  3d  Section  . 

(n)(b)  IN  RED  DOG  TOWN 

(x)  THE  FATAL  MALLET  {CHAPLIN) 


(v»)  Wedne.a.y  and  Thurnday.  "Sally  Castleton." 
(0     Friday.  Saturday  and  Sunday.    The  AwakenlnK." 
(o)   Friday.  Saturday  and  Sunday.  Hea,.t-Selig  New.. 


(b)  Wednesday  and  Thursday.  "First  Piano  in  Camp." 
(n)  Friday,  Saturday  and  Sunday.  "Ham,  the  Detective.' 
(l)  All  week. 


Note  the  change  of  route  on  Wednesday  and  Friday---Samc  leaving  time. 

Quinn's  railroad  style  time  table. 


your  schedule  in  such  a  fashion  that  it  can  be  adhered  to. 
Give  as  much  attention  and  care  to  the  small  lines  as 
you  do  to  the  larger  ones.  Do  not  think  that  because  they 
are  small  they  are  not  important.  If  you  have  three  or 
four  features  to  which  you  give  an  eight  or  ten-point  line 
apiece,  do  not  run  them  straight  down,  one  under  the 
other.  "Stagger"  them,  give  each  line  its  own  starting 
point,  and  it  will  be  picked  up  more  quickly.  A  refer- 
ence to  Figure  16,  in  Chapter  XI,  will  show  what  is 
meant.  Another  way  of  playing  up  the  lines  is  shown 
in  Figure  37,  in  which  one  line  of  three  large  letters  will 
cover  three  smaller  lines. 


PREPARING   ADVERTISING   COPY  139 

In  writing  advertising  remember  that  sometimes  white 
space  is  more  effective  than  black  type.  If  you  have  a 
two-column  advertisement  with  a  six-point  rule  border, 
do  not  set  out  to  the  border.    "Indent"  one  or  two  pica 


SEE 


the  great  train  wreck 
the  duel  in  the  air. 
the  sunken  submarine 


Figure  37. — A  combina*:ion  cover  line. 


lines  all  around  and  get  a  white  border  within  the  black. 
It  will  give  as  pronounced  an  effect  as  would  a  twelve- 
point  solid  rule  and  be  less  funeral.  Now  and  then  in 
three  or  more  columns  run  an  indent  of  an  inch  or  two. 
Write  a  two-column  advertisement  for  a  three-column 
space.  It  may  mean  a  saving  in  the  end,  for  by  shutting 
yourself  off  from  the  rest  of  the  page  you  can  use  an 
eighteen-point  to  just  as  good  an  effect  as  the  other 
house's  thirty-six  or  even  forty-eight.  As  in  the  house 
program,  you  have  brought  the  question  of  relative  dis- 
play into  your  own  hands. 

Matinee  Matinee 

'.Daily?  Daily 

Figure  38. — Getting  lines  to  balance. 

Sometimes,  but  very  seldom,  it  pays  to  buy  a  lot  of 
space  and  use  but  little  of  it  for  type,  say  a  quarter  page 
with  a  few  six-point  lines  in  the  centre.  This  looks  very 
effective,  but  its  value  is  to  be  questioned.  You  need 
display  lines  to  grip  the  reader. 

Balance  your  display.  If  you  want  two  lines  of  equal 
length  and  one  has  fewer  letters  than  the  other,  use  a 
condensed  for  the  long  line  and  an  extended  for  the 
other.  If  this  is  still  too  short,  space  out  the  smaller  line. 
In  Figure  38  the  left  hand  example  shows  how  one  Ex- 
hibitor sought  to  solve  the  problem.  On  the  right  is 
offered  a  better  way. 


140  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

In  most  advertising  it  is  better  to  use  a  few  lines  of 
descriptive  text  rather  than  to  trust  to  titles  alone.  If 
this  is  done,  the  lines  should  be  uniform.  Do  not  give 
eight  lines  to  one  subject  and  only  two  to  another  of 
equal  importance.  Split  the  space  and  give  five  lines  to 
each.  A  little  practise  will  enable  you  to  do  this  almost 
every  time.  Until  then  you  can  correct  on  the  proof 
when  it  comes  back.  If  there  are  too  many  lines,  cut 
out  a  few  words  to  make  a  fit.  If  there  are  too  few, 
write  to  fill. 

Aim  to  tell  about  the  story  rather  than  to  tell  the  story. 
Do  not  say: 

Nellie  was  engaged  to  Bill,  but  her  father  did  not  like 
him,  because  Bill  could  not  earn  his  own  living.  He 
offered  to  consent  to  the  match  if  Bill  could  hold  a  job 

Ditched  by  Danny — A  clever 
Broadman  comedy  in  which  Billy 
James  gets  about  all  the  exciting 
experiences  that  can  be  crowded 
into  a  single  reel.  Marion  Brailey 
and  Tommy  Dent  support  him. 

Figure  39. — ^An  expensive  but  effective  style. 

for  six  months,  so  Bill  got  a  job  with  the  old  man  as 
chauffeur,  and  in  three  weeks  he  found  out  enough  about 
Father  to  win  the  latter's  consent  as  the  price  of  secrecy. 

With  an  announcement  such  as  this  we  know  the  main 
points  of  the  story.  Seeing  the  film  will  be  like  seeing 
an  old  story  illustrated  and  merely  looking  at  the  pictures. 
It  is  much  better  to  avoid  telling  too  much  of  the  climax. 
Leave  something  to  help  along  the  surprise.   Say,  instead  : 

Nell's  father  objected  to  the  idle  rich  and  Bill  was  one 
of  the  richest  of  the  idle.  When  he  was  told  that  if  he 
wanted  to  marry  Nell,  he  must  hold  a  job  for  six  months, 
it  looked  bad  for  Cupid.  But  Bill  was  no  fool.  In  just 
three  weeks  Nell's  Father  said  "Bless  you,  my  children !" 
and  he  meant  it  one  way  for  Nell  and  another  for  Bill. 

This  does  not  tell  the  story.  It  does  rouse  curiosity. 
What  was  it  that  Bill  did  to  break  the  term  to  three 


PREPARING   ADVERTISING   COPY  141 

weeks?  Why  did  father  give  his  blessing  with  reverse 
EngHsh  for  Bill's  share? 

It  is  a  good  plan  to  give  the  names  of  the  players.  As 
a  rule  the  best  plan  is  to  give  them  the  same  height  as 
the  body  text  but  in  full  face.  Another  way,  expensive 
as  well  as  effective,  is  to  cut  into  the  body  type  with  a 
larger  face  or  a  more  ornamental  display,  something  like 
the  example  in  Figure  39. 

The  anecdote  form  is  a  good  one  for  occasional  use. 
This  starts  off  with  an  anecdote  that  runs  into  the  ad- 
vertisement. It  is  set  body  type,  but  with  names  handled 
in  variations  of  bold  and  italic  faces  of  that  body.  It 
begins  with  a  single  line  about  three  times  as  high  as  the 
body  and  the  rest  solid.    An  example  might  read : 

Yesterday  morning 

a  man  from  the  country  stopped 
in  front  of  the  Palace  theatre  and  hung  around  the  lobby 
for  quite  some  time.  Then  he  went  up  to  the  doorman 
to  ask  if  he  had  to  sit  through  the  entire  show.  It  was 
explained  that  he  could  come  and  go  as  he  pleased,  and 
he  heaved  a  sigh  of  relief.  "I'll  go  in  for  a  couple  of 
hours,"  he  announced  as  he  fished  for  his  wallet,  "but 
the  bill  says  'Continuous  until  lO'rSO''  and  I  can't  stay 
that  long ;  got  to  get  to  Uncle  Henry's  for  dinner."  Most 
of  our  patrons  do  go  home  for  dinner,  but  they  like  our 
program  so  well  that  they  may  stay  for  a  part  of  the 
second  performance  or  to  see  some  particular  subject 
again.  You  can't  blame  them  when  we  have  such  splendid 
offerings.  Take  today,  for  instance.  There  is — and  the 
rest  of  the  advertisement  tells  the  interested  reader  about 
the  program  for  the  day. 

Personality  advertising,  already  alluded  to,  is  good 
when  it  has  real  personality  back  of  it,  and  it  offers  cer- 
tain advantages.  The  catchline,  "It's  a  rotten  shame," 
would  not  look  well  in  an  ordinary  advertisement,  biit 
personality  will  carry  it  over,  as  in  Figure  40'. 

If  a  few  are  willing  to  confess  bankruptcy  for  the  sake 
of  a  free  ticket,  make  good  your  bluff  and  let  them  in. 
Then   advertise   that   a   stated   number   of  persons    (no 


142  PICTURE  THEATRE  ADVERTISING 

names  being  given)  saw  the  film  as  your  guests  and  you 
are  glad  that  they  had  the  courage  to  take  advantage  of 
your  offer.  If  too  many  try  to  get  in  free  and  they  look 
as  though  they  could  afford  the  price,  question  them,  but 
let  them  in  if  they  stick  to  it.  In  a  small  town  there  is 
always  a  village  clown  who  is  the  recognized  jester.  He 
will  probably  not  object  to  having  it  said  that  "eleven 
people  and  Jed  Loman"  were  your  guests,  and  it  will  get 
another  laugh. 

In  preparing  copy  for  handbills  the  essential  is  to  use 
large  and  clear  type.  Many  of  the  bills  will  be  thrown 
away  with  but  a  glance.  You  must  win  in  that  glance. 
One  line  that  is  read  is  better  than  a  hundred  that  are 
not.  Do  not  try  to  tell  too  much.  Here,  above  all  other 
places,  house,  attraction  and  date  should  be  played  up. 
Get  those  three  over  and  the  rest  will  not  matter  so  much. 
The  recipient  at  least  knows  that  "Fired  on  Friday"  is  at 
the  Grand  on  a  stated  day.     Few  will  read  a  throwaway 

It's  a  Rotten  Shame! 

That  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  Jaytown  cannot  get  a 
chance  tomorrow  to  enjoy  one  of  the  most  remarkable  film  pro- 
ductions that  I  have  ever  w.tnessed.  I  have  seen  it  myself 
(five  times)   and  I  am  not  exaggerating  when  I  say  that 

The  Sultan's  Slave 

is  one  of  the  most  gorgeous  spectacles  that  has  ever  been  pro- 
duced. I  am  so  anxious  to  have  all  see  it  that  if  you  cannot 
spare  the  money,  tell  the  doorman:  "It's  on  Joe  Smith,'  and 
he'll  pass  you  in  free. 

Figure  40. — A  personalit--'  advertisement. 

closely.  Do  not  try  to  give  a  long  list  of  titles  or  offer 
a  lengthy  argument  as  to  merit.  Play  up  the  best  title 
and  merely  mention  the  others.  Give  one  line  that  will 
be  read  even  if  the  bill  is  not  accepted.  Get  something 
that  will  be  seen  in  the  distributor's  hand.  You  may  have 
more  than  that,  but  you  must  have  that  if  you  would  not 
lose  your  money. 

Make  your  sentences  short  and  crisp.  If  you  saw  a 
man  sitting  on  a  keg  of  dynamite  with  a  smoking  fuse 
well  down  to  the  opening,  you  would  not  approach  him 
deliberately  in  order  not  to  alarm  him  and  politely  say: 


DISTRIBUTED    MATTER  143 

"Pardon  me,  but  I  pray  you  to  immediately  remove  your- 
self from  this  vicinity  as  I  greatly  fear  that  there  is 
immediate  danger  of  a  catastrophe,  w^ith  unfortunate 
results  to  yourself." 

By  that  time  you  would  both  be  getting  introduced  to 
the  other  angels.  Instead,  you  would  either  rush  up  and 
pull  the  fuse  away  or  stand  at  a  safe  distance  and  shout 
"Run,  you  darned  fool,  run !"  It  is  the  same  with  writing 
handbill  advertising.  This  is  no  time  for  polished  phrase 
and  elegant  diction.  You  must  reach  your  man  in  a 
hurry. 

In  all  forms  of  advertising  remember  that  there  is  a 
difference  between  the  catchy  phrase  and  the  pulling  one. 
"$1Q.000  reward"  may  catch  the  attention,  but  it  will  not 
bring  business.  "The  actual  destruction  of  a  warship," 
may  pull  business  in. 

It  may  seem  to  be  a  waste  of  time  to  study  details  so 
closely  when  there  are  expert  printers  to  do  your  bidding, 
but  the  printer  is  there  to  do  his  work,  not  your  own. 
His  work  is  merely  to  get  out  an  attractively  set  job  in 
accordance  with  the  rules  of  art  and  without  regard  for 
its  pulling  power.  It  is  your  task  to  supply  the  business- 
making  qualities,  and  almost  as  much  can  be  done  with 
type  and  arrangement  as  with  words. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

DISTRIBUTED  MATTER 

The  throwaway — heralds — the  door  knob — envelopes 
— calendars — post  cards — blank  books — catch 
cards. 

Distributed  matter  comes  into  three  general  classes, 
though  an  item  may  belong  to  two  or  even  all  three  of 
these  classes.     These  are : 

Matter  distributed  in  the  house. 

Matter  distributed  in  the  street. 

Matter  distributed  to  the  homes. 


144  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Of  street  matter,  the  dodger  or  throwaway  is  the 
simplest  form.  This  is  something  to  be  read  and 
thrown  away  and  should  be  cheap,  since  a  compara- 
tively small  percentage  is  apt  to  make  business,  save 
in  small  towns  where  there  is  no  daily  paper.  Here 
the  distributed  matter  is  regarded  with  more  in- 
terest, and  at  least  one  Exhibitor  gets  out  a  single 
sheet  daily,  printed  on  one  side  only  and  carrying  a  few 
local  items,  some  big  news,  perhaps,  the  local  cotton 
quotations  (the  town  is  in  the  South),  the  weather  re- 
port and  the  house  program,  in  addition  to  a  few  small 
outside  advertisements.  It  is  the  only  "daily  paper"  in 
the  county  and  the  issue  is  eagerly  watched  for.  Several 
others  in  various  parts  of  the  country  have  tried  for  a 
daily  or  semi-weekly  paper,  but  these  seem  to  have 
failed,  whether  handled  by  the  house  or  farmed  out  to 
some  publisher.  Sometimes  the  trouble  is  that  the  local 
advertisers  are  not  educated  up  to  daily  advertising, 
sometimes  the  venture  has  been  too  ambitious  and  some- 
times a  lack  of  sustained  interest  on  the  part  of  the 
editor  has  been  the  cause  of  demise.  There  are  hun- 
dreds of  weekly  papers,  some  of  them  being  printed  by 
a  speculator.  These  generally  carry  all  the  advertising 
for  the  town,  each  theatre  paying  a  small  sum  for  its 
space,  and  a  few  have  risen  to  the  dignity  of  an  issue 
for  which  a  subscription  list  and  scond-class  entry  can 
be  obtained.  In  general,  however,  the  throwaway  offers 
nothing  but  a  single  announcement  of  the  house.  Now 
and  then  something  may  be  devised  that  will  hold  atten- 
tion. One  of  these  is  shown  in  Figure  41.  It  was  first 
used  by  the  Cozy  Theatre,  Portales,  N.  M.,  having  been 
suggested  by  ]\Ir.  Paine  of  the  General  Film  Company. 
In  its  typographical  make-up  it  should  closely  follow  the 
general  style  of  public  notice  in  the  town  in  which  it  is 
used. 

This  has  been  widely  copied  and  always  with  good  re- 
sults. Minor  changes  have  been  made  and  sometimes  it 
has  been  altered  to  suit  local  conditions,  as  when  the 
disease  became  "Muditis"  and  the  cure  "Rubberitis"  in 
a  town  where  uptorn  sidewalks  and  heavy  rains  made 


DISTRIBUTED    MATTER  145 

theatregoing  something  of  an  adventure.  Variation  may- 
be made,  the  circular  being  titled  "Public  Sale,"  and 
offering  amusement,  "Mass  Meeting,"  "Reward,"  or 
similar  captioning. 


PUBLIC  NOTICE 


Contasrioiis  Disease 


Doctors  Amazed  —  Portales  Alarmed 


DON'T  BE  ALARMED 


During  the  County  Fair  a  Disease  has 
broken  out  in  Portales  which  has  been 
named  Bhieatas.  The  symptoms  of  this 
disease  are  very  simple.  First  the  patient 
feels  Melancholy,  Despondent,  Gloomy  and 
Low  in  Spirits. 

A  cure  has  been  discovered  which  has 
been  named  Laughteratus.  After  taking  the 
cure  the  Patient  feels  Joyful,  Gay  and 
Mirthful,  which  is  peculiar  to  the  Human 
Species.  Everyone  is  advised  to  take  this 
Cure  by  seeing  the  big  comedy  program  at 
the  Cozy  tonight.  Six  reels  will  be  shown. 
Admission,  children  under  twelve,  10  cents; 
adults,  15  cents.     Seven  o'clock  sharp. 

Figure  41. — Public  Health  notice. 

Somewhat  similar  was  the  "Cure  for  Grumps"  eariler 
put  out  by  the  Pastime  theatre,  Alexandria,  La.,  copy 
for  which  is  found  in  Figure  43.  This  may  also  be  used 
for  program  matter. 

A  SIMPLE  REMEDY  FOR  THE  GRUMPS 

Have  you  got  'em?_  They  afflict  you  mostly  in  the 
evenings  when  you  sit  around  the  house  with  your 
mind  on  the  affairs  of  the  day. 

What  you  need  is  a  little  mental  recreation.  You 
want  to   forget  your  business  cares   and  bothers,   and 


146  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

the  best  way  to  do  so  is  to  pick  yourself  up  and  come 
to  the  Pass-time  theatre.  An  hour  spent  here  will 
fresh   you  up  wonderfully. 

"Bother  an  old  picture  show!"  may  be  you  say. 
That's  all  right.  If  moving  pictures  don't  interest 
you,  it  is  probably  because  you  have  seen  only  poor 
ones,  put  on  improperly,  or  else  you  have  formed 
an  idea  they  are  intended  for  an  inferior  sort  of  peo- 
ple. My,  but  you  have  lots  to  learn  if  you  have  such 
thoughts  in  your  head. 

The  kind  of  pictures  shown  at  the  Pass-time  and 
the  way  they  are  shown  differ  from  the  others.  We 
will  guarantee  to  make  you  see  this  form  of  amuse- 
ment in  a   different   light  if   you   will   come   just   once. 

Consider  just  a  moment.  We  offer  you  more  than 
an  hour  of  real  recreation  and  entertainment  for  10 
cents.  Perhaps  you  imagine  yourself  a  spendthrift 
when  you  loosen  up  to  the  extent  of  a  dime.  Do  you 
give  any  thought  to  the  many  dimes  you  spend  through 
the   day   for  a   little,   fleeting  indulgence?      You   don't! 

You  are  cheating  yourself  by  missing  the  good 
shows  we  are  providing  and  you  are  permitting  your 
occasional  case  of  "Grumps"  to  become  chronic.  Try 
the  panacea  we  offer  for  mental  worries — come  out 
tonight.      No    fixing   up   necessary.     Come   as    you   are. 

P.  S. — Bring  your  wife. 

Figure  42. — The  Cure  for  Grumps 
Circular. 

Whatever  the  style  of  the  notice,  you  should  not  begin 
to  talk  house  too  soon.  Get  them  down  three  or  four 
lines  of  the  body  text  before  you  begin  to  talk  house,  and 
then  run  naturally  into  your  own  argument,  so  naturally 
that  the  reader  keeps  going. 

Even  in  the  handbill  it  is  possible  to  be  original.  One 
of  the  best  of  the  novelty  throvvaways  is  the  wall  paper 
bill.  This  is  a  small  bill,  with  either  cut  or  torn  edges 
with  text  reading  to  the  effect  that:  "We  have  torn  the 
paper  from  the  walls  to  make  more  room  for  the  crowds 
that  will  insist  upon  seeing — "  If  straight  roll  paper  is 
purchased  it  should  be  cut  to  size  and  then  flattened. 
Paper  just  out  of  the  roll  will  curl  on  the  platen  and  make 
trouble  in  feeding.  A  better  scheme,  and  perhaps  a 
cheaper  one,  is  to  get  the  discarded  sample  books  with 
which  all  paper  hangers  are  provided.  These  are  already 
in  the  block  and  can  be  cut  and  handled  at  once. 

Similarly  wrapping  paper,  cloth,  wooden  or  paper  pie 
plates  and  like  material  may  be  used  on  occasion.  Any- 
thing out  of  the  ordinary  will  hold  attention  and  be  read 
for  the  sake  of  the  novelty.     This  material  may  be  too 


DISTRIBUTED    MATTER  147 

costly  as  a  rule,  but  it  may  be  possible  to  get  hold  of  a  lot 
of  damaged  goods  that  are  not  hurt  for  their  new  pur- 
pose. 

White  newspaper  of  cheap  grade  is  the  usual  stock, 
though  colored  papers  are  often  employed.  The  same 
remarks  that  are  made  on  cheap  card  stock  in  the  chapter 
on  printing  apply  with  equal  force  here.  A  good  white 
is  better  than  a  "thick"  blue  or  a  greenish  yellow.  Where 
yellow  is  used  the  ink  should  be  red  or  black.  Sometimes 
trimmings  may  be  picked  up  for  very  little,  being  the 
cuttings  from  some  other  and  larger  job.  The  paper  has 
already  been  paid  for  once  and  the  second  price  should  be 
reasonable.  If  the  size  will  do,  it  is  better'  to  use  some 
other  man's  cuttings  than  to  leave  your  own  to  him. 

Heralds  are  not  as  popular  for  street  distribution  as 
they  once  were.  The  Motion  Picture  herald,  a  small 
sheet  with  cuts  and  the  story  is  not  what  was  once  meant 
by  the  term  when  it  was  a  large  sheet  on  cheap  paper 
with  lurid  cuts  and  vivid  catchlines.  This  sort  may 
not  be  had  ready  printed  and  it  seldom  pays  to  print  them. 
The  herald  of  today  is  printed  on  better  paper  with  a 
more  careful  make-ready  for  the  cuts,  and  comes  with  a 
blank  space  for  the  press  or  rubber  stamp  imprint  of  the 
house.  It  is  better  to  send  these  out  by  mail  or  fold  them 
in  the  house  programs.  They  cost  too  much  to  show  a 
profit  on  indiscriminate  distribution.  Because  of  their 
good  cut  work,  the  heralds  are  more  likely  to  be  saved, 
but  not  enough  will  reach  the  homes  from  the  street  to 
influence  much  trade. 

House  distribution  is  better,  in  the  majority  of  cases, 
by  hand  where  few  servants  are  employed  in  the  district 
or  by  mail  in  the  better  sections  where  it  is  desired  to 
reach  the  family  and  not  the  employes.  The  girl  has  but 
one  night  a  week;  the  family  can  come  at  any  time.. 

For  house  distribution  by  hand,  the  most  ei^ective  form 
is  the  door  knob,  generally  abbreviated  "D.K."  In  a 
short  time  it  has  gained  almost  universal  employment. 

A  D.K.  may  be  anything  from  a  baggage  tag  to  a  hun- 
dred-page book  so  long  as  it  has  a  loop  of  string  by 
which  it  may  be  hung  to  the  door  knob  instead  of  being 


148  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

left  on  the  stoop  or  piazza  to  be  blown  up  and  down  the 
street  or  onto  the  lawn.  That  is  why  it  is  called  a  door- 
knob. It  appears  to  have  sprung  up  in  various  parts  of 
the  country  about  the  same  time  and  its  paternity  has 
never  been  determined.  Of  its  usefulness  there  can  be 
no  question.  It  not  only  prevents  advertising  matter  from 
being  blown  about,  but  it  stands  ready  to  the  hand  and 
does  not  even  require  to  be  picked  up,  moreover  it  can  be 
hung  up  within  the  house  and  preserved  for  future  refer- 
ence through  the  week,  and  many  door  knobs  carry  a  line 
begging  the  recipient  to  "Hang  me  up." 

A  simple  form  of  D.K.  is  merely  a  card  on  which  is 
printed  the  program  for  the  week.  If  printed  on  both 
sides,  house  talk  and  gossip  for  the  fans  are  run  on  the 
reverse.  Another  style  is  formed  of  a  small  house  pro- 
gram and  a  set  of  Heralds.  Many  Exhibitors  use  a  card 
that  can  be  worked  as  a  D.K.  and  a  vest  pocket  program, 
the  D.K.  being  left  unfolded  while  the  program  is  creased 
to  make  a  four  pager.  There  is  no  limit  to  the  form  or 
material  of  the  D.K. 

The  tying  of  the  loops  of  string  slightly  increases  the 
cost  and  for  a  time  complaint  was  made  that  cutting  a 
ball  of  twine  into  the  proper  lengths  was  slow  and  tedious. 
This  is  true  where  each  piece  must  be  measured  ofif.  A 
simple  device  renders  the  cutting  easy.  Let  it  be  supposed 
that  you  want  a  loop  seven  inches  long,  which  will  be 
long  enough  to  go  on  the  average  floor,  though-eight- 
inch  lengths  would  be  better.  Drive  three-inch  wire  nails 
into  a  block  of  wood  seven  inches  apart.  It  would  be 
better  still  to  use  bits  of  dowel.  Mark  a  point  on  the 
block  just  midway  between  the  two  nails  or  sticks.  Wind 
a  ball  of  twine  around  the  sticks  and  cut  through  the 
middle,  using  a  sharp  knife  and  making  a  clean  cut.  Each 
half  of  the  skein  wdll  be  just  the  proper  length.  The 
D.K.  is  generally  punched  by  the  printer,  but  spring  hand 
punches  may  be  used  to  do  the  work  easily.  Tying 
the  strings  is  real  labor,  but  half  a  dozen  small  boys  will 
rush  the  job  through  in  return  for  tickets  to  the  Saturday 
matinee  and  feel  themselves  well  paid. 

Advertising  to  go  into  the  homes  may  be  more  fully 


DISTRIBUTED    MATTER 


149 


explicit  than  can  be  used  in  street  copy  because,  if  read 
at  all,  there  is  time  to  read  carefully.  More  type  can  be 
used  and  smaller  display  faces  may  be  employed,  but  it  is 
a  bad  scheme  to  send  out  much  stuff  to  the  houses.  One 
or,  at  the  most,  two  pieces  should  be  all  that  is  sent  into 
the  home  direct.  Generally  it  is  sufficient  to  get  the  pro- 
gram into  the  homes.  Figure  43  shows  a  post  card  used 
by  Proctor's  Griswold,  Troy,  N.  Y.,  for  announcing  its 
features.  It  is  printed  on  a  government  postal  card  in- 
stead of  a  mail  card,  and  carries  its  advertisement  not 
alone  to  the  persons  addressed,  but  to  all  who  handle  it 
on  the  way.  Mailing  cards  can  be  used  instead  if  desired. 
Each  has  its  advantages.  The  regular  card  is  small  and 
compact.    The  private  card  gives  more  space. 


^i:;:'^/  Proctor's  6rl$woia  .^'r:~i:. 

HRIft:S 

II  a.  m.  10  K'.SO  n.  m.  .5,  ;  .Vut/nee  Wl-:   U-tnmt:  lOc.   1 3c. 

/tfo.\.  A- Ti/.v.-    »i:ii.  iniKS  HI'  ■    "  it.v. 


NU,.,1,„,„ 

saio,..,.', 

..i«i^&>. 

».,Ji,l..,ml  n,-i. 

^m^ 

iP^^k 

T,.ms  Cabin  ,!,s 

m^^% 

\k^ 

n^a»i.    ■    ^y  1  .:.- 

^M 

Mia    twilli.    In    ;■ 
.ill*  .-jtli.l)  Jrauia 

turiicd         V  •  ' 

';^-';;i':'}^: --:■'': 

_i!.llli.>t«n4il>   J.«- 

T:' 

Oa,   R.sul.i   Kt 


L-^ 


Figure  43. — A  post  card  program. 


One  piece  of  distributed  matter  that  got  home  in  many 
cases  was  a  manila  envelope  printed  up:  "I  dare  you 
to  take  this  home  to  your  wife  unopened."  Within  was 
a  card  printed  as  in  Figure  44.  Most  of  them  did  get 
home,  opened  or  still  sealed,  and  even  where  the  recipient 
was  not  married  it  probably  was  shown  to  someone.  The 
actual  text  of  the  contained  card  is  comparatively  unim- 


150 


PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


portant.     It  is  the  idea  of  the  envelope  text  that  carried 
the  idea. 

Dear    Friend    Wife: 

Let's  go  to   the  Playhouse   this  evening.     They  have   an   even 
better  than   usual  bill   with   a  special  feature 
When   the   Blizzard    Blew 
that   is   said    to    show   some    of   the    best    snow    scenes    ever    pro- 
duced.     It's  about   time  I   took   you   somewhere. 

Hubby. 

Figure  44. — Copy  for  a  catch  card. 

Working  the  same  envelope  scheme,  they  may  be  printed 
up  "Do  you  get  a  lucky  number?"  The  hint  of  a  drawing 
will  cause  the  envelopes  to  be  opened  when  the  "lucky 
number"  will  be  found  to  be  a  particular  date  when  an 
extra  feature  will  be  shown,  the  number  of  reels  in  a 


SUN. 


Favorite  Players 

PRE££^TS 

MAXnsMAN 

The  iftosier 
School  Master. 

In  S  Act! 


MON. 


GEO.   KLEINE 

The  Nalld  Truth 

wIh 

Lyda  sorelli 

In  5  Acts 


The    Cerebrated 
Player^^lm  Co. 


PR 
Annette 

The  Perf( 
spectacular 

Neptune's 


:r^^lr 

eclSm 
ar  ^^rorii 


TS 

llermaA 

an  in  the    " 
ai  triumph 

Daughter 


TUES. 


HENRY  W    SAVAGE 

famous  play^^ 

PR  af  Bits 
THE  M*LION 

Edwa^^beles 
In  S   Acts 


Come  to  the  Matinees 

Neptune'l 

and  enjoy 

night  you 

able  to  geT^a  seat 

Matinees  2:15  and  4:15 


Figure  45.— A  program  calendar  issued  by  the  month. 


feature  or  anything  else  to  carry  out  the  idea.  It  will 
help  along  the  scheme  to  number  each  slip  and  envelope 
with  a  numbering  machine,  or  even  a  rubber  stamp,  in  an 
ink  different  in  color  than  that  used  for  the  letter  press. 
The  number  does  not  have  to  be  changed. 

Calendars  are  effective,  particularly  when  they  carry 
the  program.  By  this  is  not  meant  the  yearly  calendar, 
but  one  for  a  week  or  a  month,  if  you  know  your  bill 
that  far  ahead.  If  your  printer  has  no  calendar  logo- 
types you  can  obtain  a  set  for  prices  from  a  dollar  up- 


DISTRIBUTED    MATTER  151 

ward,  according  to  size.  Figure  45  shows  a  part  of  a 
monthly  calendar.  The  original  is  about  12  by  15  inches. 
The  lines  and  figures  are  printed  in  red  and  the  text  in 
black,  which  shows  through  the  red  in  the  original  but 
not  in  the  reproduction.  It  is  punched  to  be  hung  on  the 
wall  and  because  of  its  large,  plain  figures  it  finds  a  wel- 
come in  homes  and  offices  alike.  Calendars  on  blotters 
do  well  for  office  distribution,  but  the  value  of  an  office 
distribution  for  a  picture  house  is  to  be  questioned.  There 
are  not  enough  offices  in  a  town  small  enough  to  permit 
the  advertising  to  be  effective  in  proportion  to  the  cost 
of  preparation  and  distribution  and  in  the  cities  there  are 
too  many  offices  to  be  covered.  Blotters  in  the  home  are 
seldom  of  as  much  value  to  the  advertiser  as  to  the 
recipient.  One  house,  however,  did  very  well  with  blot- 
ters, by  printing  a  set  of  pictures  of  natural  curiosities, 
such  as  are  to  be  found  in  some  of  the  magazines.  The 
text  explained  the  cut  and  drifted  into  an  allusion  to  the 
house.  Here  the  cut  was  of  greater  value  than  the  blotter 
as  an  attractor. 

Post  cards  with  portraits  of  the  players  are  always 
good,  particularly  when  the  player  shown  is  to  appear  in 
the  subject  advertised.  The  advertisement  should  be 
printed  on  the  front.  Type  does  well  enough,  a  message 
in  facsimile  of  handwriting  is  better,  but  the  best  ex- 
ample is  one  in  which  the  card  is  addressed  by  the  same 
person  who  wrote  the  copy  for  the  cut.  A  carbon  ink  is 
used  to  get  the  same  color  in  the  address  as  shows  in  the 
press  impression  and  the  card  has  to  be  read  to  show 
that  it  was  not  the  personal  message  it  purports  to  be. 
Such  a  card  as  that  has  several  times  the  value  of  a  card 
in  which  the  message  and  the  address  are  in  different 
handwritings  or  inks.  A  little  intelligent  thought  multi- 
plied the  value  of  the  investment. 

Cards  that  will  be  carried  about  are  good  forms  of  dis- 
tributed matter.  This  does  not  mean  a  card  with  "Curi- 
ous Facts  About  the  Bible,"  or  the  language  of  flowers, 
but  cards  with  pithy,  catchy  sentences  that  can  be  car- 
ried around  and  flashed  upon  a  bore  or  brought  out  to 
point  a  joke.     Cards  with  such  reading  as  "Buy  me  a 


152  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

drink,"  "Go  to  hell,"  and  similar  phrases  do  the  house 
no  good,  but  "Smile,  even  if  it  hurts  you,"  "I've  heard 
that  before,"  and  kindred  stuff  will  please.  "Please  buy 
me  a  drink"  is  crude  and  coarse,  but  a  cut  of  some  objecf, 
say  a  frog,  and  a  line:  "When  you  see  two  frogs,  stop 
drinking"  would  get  a  laugh  and  if  distributed  only  to 
men  will  be  passed  along.  It  might  even  be  advertised  as 
a  valuable  souvenir  for  men  only. 

Cards  that  are  carried  because  of  some  clever  design 
also  appeal.  One  of  the  best  of  this  sort  is  shown  in 
Figure  46.  It  is  a  product  of  the  Vaudette  theatre,  West 
Point,  Ga.,  a  house  that  is  singularly  happy  in  its  pro- 
duction of  novelties. 

CHAMS  DHAdUN 


THE  dUNNIEST  WAN  IN  PICJ-UyES 


Figure  46. — ^A  novelty  card  that  lasted  for  weeks. 

One  exhibitor  uses  a  throwaway  program  with  some 
"useful  information"  run  through  the  copy.  The  top  line, 
set  in  a  distinctive  face,  offers,  for  example,  "How  to 
Tell  Woolen  from  Cotton  Cloth.  Find  answer  in  pro- 
gram." In  each  section  of  the  program  is  a  line  in  the 
same  marked  type.  Assembled  they  give  the  answer. 
The  colons  mark  each  section  of  the  seven  daily  instal- 
ments :  "Pick  out  :  a  thread  :  from  the  cloth  :  if  cotton, 
it  burns  :  to  a  flame  :  if  wool  :  it  will  only  singe."  Not 
one  reader  in  a  hundred  will  care  in  the  least  how  to  tell 
cotton  from  wool,  but  it  is  only  human  nature  to  pick  out 
the  lines  through  curiosity  and  in  doing  so  the  rest  of  the 
program  is  absorbed,  since  the  lines  appear  next  to  the 
main  titles. 

Blank  books  that  can  be  used  for  memoranda  can  be 
titled  on  the  cover  "Houses  where  they  have  a  better 
show  than  at  the  Star,"  "A  list  of  good  films  we've  failed 


DISTRIBUTED    MATTER  153 

to  show,"  "People  who  do  not  patronize  the  Arcade,"  or 
anything  else  that  will  fit  the  blank  pages. 

On  the  same  lines  are  catch  books  that  offer  on  the 
cover:  "How  we  lose  our  patrons,"  and  on  the  inside 
explain  within  a  twenty- four-point  mourning  border  that : 
"They  Die,"  or  offer  to  tell  "How  Washington  Crossed 
the  Delaware,"  which  was  the  title  of  an  Edison,  the 
answer  being,  "In  a  Boat." 

Fake  telegrams  are  effective  in  a  way,  but  many  per- 
sons are  accustomed  to  receiving  a  telegram  only  in  case 
of  a  death,  and  the  shock  of  the  receipt  nullifies  the  ad- 
vertising value.  Nothing  should  be  done  that  will  antag- 
onize patrons  or  shock  them.  Black  bordered  envelopes, 
fictitious  death  notices  and  other  suggestions  of  death 
come  within  this  class  as  does  any  controversial  matter. 

On  the  other  hand,  many  exhibitors  have  made  busi- 
ness with  pseudo  wedding  announcements  and  party  in- 
vitations. The  wedding  is  that  of  some  film  character 
and  the  imaginary  hostess  also  a  screen  person.  Where 
this  is  done  it  must  be  done  well  to  be  convincing.  Good 
card  stock,  double  envelopes  and  addressing  in  a  clerky 
hand  are  absolute  requirements.  The  printing  should  be 
done  in  imitation  of  engraving,  using  a  shaded,  Typo  or 
Copperplate  Gothic  letter.  The  new  Copperplate  Gothic 
Shaded  is  particularly  good.  Another  scheme  is  to  use  a 
Typo  or  straight  Gothic  and  a  "short"  ink.  This  is  an 
ink  so  thick  and  heavy  that  a  considerable  quantity  comes 
off  the  type  to  the  card  and  dries  down  into  the  ridges 
that  are  supposed  to  be  the  mark  of  an  engraved  card, 
where  the  same  ink  is  used.  Care  must  be  taken  here 
to  use  offset  sheets ;  sheets  of  waste  paper,  between  the 
cards  and  not  to  pile  them  too  high  until  dry,  or  the  ink 
will  offset  onto  the  back  of  the  card  above  it  and  spoil 
the  job. 

This  form  of  advertisement  will  appeal  most  strongly 
to  the  higher  grade  of  patronage ;  people  accustomed  to 
receiving  such  announcements.  The  real  name  of  the 
star  may  be  used  instead  of  the  play  name  and  "Miss 
Star  Performer  begs  to  announce,"  reads  better  than  that 
"The  Star  Theatre  begs  to  announce." 


154  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

A  real  mystery  can  be  raised  if  in  a  ball  invitation  you 
do  not  use  the  name  of  the  theatre,  but  give  only  the 
street  address.  An  invitation  to  a  reception  given  by  Mrs. 
George  Pomfret  Van  Alstyne  "at  623  Broad  street"  may 
puzzle  a  society  woman  who  knows  no  such  person.  She 
will  investigate  and  when  she  finds  that  the  number  is 
the  address  of  your  house  she  will  guess  the  rest. 

What  has  been  said  about  concerning  proper  stock  for 
wedding  invitations  holds  good  of  all  classes  of  distrib- 

Marple  Facts 

During  the  past  year  3,297,546  people  paid  admission  to  the 
Marple.  If  this  audience  stood  in  a  row,  they  would  reach  the 
distance  of  3,596  miles.  The  total  number  of  laughs  by  these 
people  was  89,924,563.  If  it  were  combined  in  one  mammoth 
laugh  it  could  be  heard  from  Wichita,  Kansas,  to  London,  Eng- 
land, and  would  last  two  hours  and  twenty-seven  minutes.  If 
the  applause  was  combined  into  a  single  handclap,  the  concussion 
would  be  sufficient  to  move  the  Mexican  border  line  one  mile, 
twenty-nine  feet,  six   inches  south  of  its  present  location. 

Figure  47. — Fictional  facts. 


uted  matter.  Suit  your  material  to  the  work  you  want 
done.  It  would  be  as  foolish  to  prepare  such  an  announce- 
ment for  distribution  in  the  slums  as  it  would  be  to  send 
lurid  Heralds  for  crude  melodrama  to  persons  who  are 
interested  most  in  the  highest  class  features.  You  would 
not  try  to  catch  the  business  man  with  the  statement  that 
a  two-reel  will  show  some  recent  fashion  developments 
any  more  than  you  would  try  to  coax  a  society  matron 
with  a  film  preaching  the  evils  of  tobacco.  Work  in  the 
same  way  with  your  material. 

What  may  be  termed  fictional  facts  sometimes  work 
well.  They  are  best  printed  on  a  card  that  they  may  be 
carried  about  and  shown.    Figure  47  carries  an  example. 

Another  good  idea,  and  one  that  has  much  back  of  the 
seeming  joke  is  contributed  by  the  Haynic  theatre,  Fair- 
mount,  Minn.     Copy  will  be  found  in  Figure  48. 

(Front  of  card) 

NOW  OPEN 

The  Haynic  Night  School 

Complete  courses 


NOVELTY    ADVERTISEMENTS  155 

History  Geography 

Physiology  Good   morals 

Botany  Gentleness 

Courage  Chivalry 

Fun  Laughter 

Loyalty  Honor 

Generosity  Charity 

Music  Patriotism 

Self  Reliance 
TUITION— Sixty    cents    per    week,    payable    in    installments    of 
tents  each.     The   entire    public   is   cordially   invited 
to   patronize  these   remarkable  educational   courses. 

(Reverse) 
HAYNIC  NIGHT  SCHOOL 

offers 
a    special    course    in    natural    history    by    the    eminent    French    in- 
structor.   Prof.    Pathe,    on    Saturday.    March    ir)th. 

THE  CHAFFINCH  AND  HER  FAMILY  are  the  subjects  of 
this  lesson  and  the  taxing  duties  of  the  mother  bird  in  taking 
care  of  her  little  brood  are  depicted  in  a  series  of  intimate  views 
that  are  most  interestingly  educational.  On  the  same  reel  we 
have  splendid  pictures  of  the  annual  manoeuvres  of  the  French 
navy.  In  a  storm  which  lasted  two  days  t!ie  battleships  and 
smaller  craft  went  through  their  mimic  warfare  while  even  the 
heaviest  vessels  were  tossed  about  like  chips  on  the  giant  waves. 
You   must  be   sure   to  attend  this   session. 

Sincerely, 

Hay  and   Nicholas. 

Figure  48. — A  "night  school"  announcement. 

Enough  has  been  shown  here  to  give  a  general  idea  as 
to  how  to  construct  distributed  matter.  Other  hints  will 
be  found  in  Chapter  seventeen. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

NOVELTY  ADVERTISEMENTS 

Kellerman  tape  measure — one-piece  coat  hanger — 
pieces  of  film — small  checks — built  up  ads — tin 
cans — name  passes  —  badges  —  balloons  —  sub- 
poenas— puzzles. 

Novelty  advertising  in  the  sense  in  which  it  is  here 
used  comprehends  anything  out  of  the  ordinary  run. 
Examples  have  already  been  given  in  preceding 
chapters    in    explaining   general    policies.      Here    are 


156  PICTURE   THEATRE  ADVERTISING 

offered  many  ideas  that  are  capable  of  a  sub-classifica- 
tion but  which  come  under  this  general  head. 

The  promoters  of  "Neptune's  Daughter;"  a  film  in 
which  Annette  Kellerman  was  starred,  produced  a  nov- 
elty in  the  form  of  a  tape  measure  printed  on  stout 
paper.  On  this  was  printed  in  black  the  usual  thirty- 
six-inch  graduation,  but  in  addition  there  was  carried, 
in  red,  the  marks  of  Miss  Kellerman's  measurements, 
her  arm,  wrist,  throat,  ankle,  calf,  bust,  thigh,  waist, 
etc.  "Neptune's  Daughter,"  being  what  theatrical 
managers  call  "shape  stuff,"  might  be  supposed  to  ap- 
peal principally  to  men,  but  it  is  safe  to  say  that  the 
tape  measure  interested  more  women  than  might  be 
thought  possible.  They  compared  the  measurements 
of  "the  perfect  woman"  with  their  own  and  then  went 
to  assure  themselves  that  Miss  Kellerman  was  not  so 
shapely  after  all.     The  idea  made  big  business. 

The  Vaudette  theatre.  West  Point,  Ga.,  originated 
a  widely  copied  idea  in  their  "one-piece  coat  and  gar- 
ment hanger."  It  was  announced  that  these  would  be 
given  to  every  patron  on  a  certain  evening.  On  enter- 
ing each  person  was  handed  a  small  envelope  printed 
up  with  the  statement  that  it  contained  a  one-piece 
coat  and  skirt  hanger  invented  by  the  operator.  In- 
side was  a  common  two-inch  wire  nail,  wrapped  in 
heavy  paper  to  disguise  it  as  long  as  possible.  It  was 
a  clever  sell  and  one  that  lasted  well  beyond  the  even- 
ing of  its  distribution. 

Another  envelope  was  printed  up:  "Look  in  this 
glass  and  smile.  If  you  can't  smile,  look  on  the  back 
and  find  out  how."  Inside  was  a  small  pocket  mirror 
and  on  the  back  was  lettered  "Go  to  the  Grand  and 
smile." 

Another  favorite  novelty  is  a  bit  of  film  with  read- 
ing matter.  An  English  Exhibitor  was  the  first  to 
use  this,  offering  a  book-mark  about  two  by  six  inches. 
The  card  was  double  and  a  window  just  the  size  of 
the  "frame"  of  one  picture,  and  between  the  two  cards 
a  clipping  was  pasted  so  that  the  film  formed  the  il- 
lustration for  a  short  text.    Other  methods  of  working 


NOVELTY   ADVERTISEMENTS  157 

the  same  idea  are  to  cut  three  or  four  frames  and  either 
staple  or  tie  to  a  card  with  baby  ribbon,  using  an 
upholsterer's  needle  to  thread  the  ribbon  through  the 
card,  or  to  wrap  film  and  description  in  paper,  putting 
it  into  a  small  grocer's  bag  filled  with  sawdust  or  cut 
paper  labeled  "A  bagfull  of  information  about  motion 
pictures." 

A  good  reader  to  go  with  the  film  runs : 
This  is  a  piece  of  motion  picture  film.     Each  pic- 
ture or  "frame"  is  only  one  inch  wide  and  three-fourths 
of  an  inch  high  and  3'et  the  photography  is  so  excellent 
that  it  can  be  enlarged  a  thousand  times  or  more.   The 

picture  at  the  ■ is  eight  feet  wide  and  six 

feet  high.  This  means  that  these  tiny  photographs 
are  enlarged  by  the  projection  machine  to  cover  9,216 
times  as  much  surface.  The  average  reel  of  film  is 
one  thousand  feet  in  length,  containing  1,600  such  pic- 
tures. We  show  five  thousand  feet  of  film  at  each 
performance  or  80,000  pictures.  These  are  made  and 
shown  at  the  rate  of  sixteen  to  the  second,  a  standard 
speed  which  enables  us  to  reproduce  the  actions  of  the 
players  at  precisely  the  speed  at  which  they  were 
performed,  giving  their  exact  actions.  The  tiny  holes 
at  the  side  are  sprocket  holes.  These  fit  toothed 
wheels  which  draw  the  film  down  past  the  opening 
of  the  projection  machine  behind  the  lens,  an  inter- 
mittent movement  of  the  wheels  halting  the  film  for 
about  four-fifths  of  one-sixteenth  of  a  second.  At 
such  a  time  a  revolving  shutter  permits  the  lens  to 
be  uncovered  twice.  If  it  remained  uncovered  during 
entire  four-fifths  of  each  one-sixteenth  of  a  second 
period  there  would  be  the  flicker  that  caused  so  much 
trouble  in  the  early  days  and  which  was  largely  due 
to  the  unequalness  of  the  periods  of  light  and  dark- 
ness. It  will  be  seen  that  the  film  does  not  move  con- 
tinuously, but  is  jerked  past  the  lens  opening.  With 
our  present  program  we  show  5,475,000  feet  of  film  a 
year  or  88,500,000  pictures. 

If  something  shorter  and   more  poetic   is   desired, 
this  copy  may  supply  the  want. 


158  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISIXG 

CELLULOID  SOLILOQUY 
"I  am  a  moving  picture,  born  of  heart,  head  and  hand. 
I  am  the  offspring  of  knowledge  and  Hght,  joined  into 
wedlock  with  art.  I  speak  the  language  of  enchantment. 
I  come  from  everywhere.  I  go  everywhere.  I  have  been 
brought  out  of  the  skies,  out  of  dreamland,  to  earth  to 
serve  and  bless  humanity.  JMany  millions  call  to  see  me 
every  day. 

"I  bring  joy  and  gladness  to  the  oppressed,  bring 
smiles  to  the  world-worn  faces  of  the  weary.  I  lay  bare 
the  innermost  secrets  of  the  heart;  be  in  joy,  gladness, 
laughter,  happiness  or  sadness,  grief,  despair. 
"Into  each  tale  I  unfold  I  weave  a  subtle  lesson. 
"I  uplift,  inspire,  enlighten.  I  raise  the  floodgates  of 
laughter  and  allow  the  joys  to  come  ajingling.  In  days 
of  peace  or  war  alike  I  bring  the  news  to  countless  num- 
bers.    I  lay  the  world  at  your  feet. 

"I  am  to  be  seen  at  my  best  every  day  at  the  J A." 

The  film  is  obtained  by  purchasing  an  old  reel  from 
some  dealer  in  second  hand  junk  and  may  be  first  used 

(Date   here) 
Regular    form   of   greeting   by    name — 

Enclosed  please  find  our  check  for  two  cents  in  payment  for 
the   time   spent    in    reading  this   letter. 

We  wish  you  to  know  that  we  are  showing  a  better  class  of 
moving  pictures;  more  REAL  feature  photoplays,  than  ever 
before. 

Next  Sunday,  March  9th,  and  for  two  days  thereafter,  we  are 
showing  the   celebrated   two-reel   feature,    "Born    to   the    Purple." 
We  particularly   desire  that  you   will   see  this   subject  and   favor 
us  vvith   your   criticism,   either    in   person   or   by  letter. 
Very  trulv. 

Unique  Theatre  Co., 

(Pen   signature   here) 

Manaeer. 

Figure  49. — Copy  for  a  check  letter. 

in  the  lobby  as  explained  in  the  chapter  on  press  work. 
Sending  checks  to  pay  for  the  time  spent  in  reading 
an  advertisement  is  an  old  but  good  idea  where  it  has 
not  already  been  done.  The  check  is  generally  for  two 
or  five  cents  and  accompanies  a  circular  \vith  a  mem- 
orandum to  the  effect  that :  "Knowing  your  time  to 
be  valuable,  we  enclose  a  check  for  two  cents  to  pay  for 


NOVELTY    ADVERTISEMENTS  159 

a  few  seconds  of  your  time,"  or  perhaps  the  check  is 
sent  to  pay  for  reading  the  letter.  The  form  in  Figure 
49  will  suggest  the  style. 

These  letters  should  be  written  personally.  If  many 
are  sent  out,  a  special  check  should  be  printed  up  and 
the  bank  notified  that  these  will  not  be  good  for  a 
larger  sum  than  that  stated.  There  should  be  a  small 
line  somewhere  limiting  the  validity  of  the  check  to 
three  months.  This  will  enable  the  account  to  be 
cleared.  The  check  must  be  perfectly  good  bankable 
paper  for  a  bad  check  will  be  a  poor  advertisement  and 
many  of  these  will  be  put  through  the  clearing  house 
through  curiosity. 

The  built  up  advertisement  is  expensive  and  hardly 
worth  while.  In  its  essential  it  consists  of  parts  of  an 
advertisement  along  the  lines  of  a  sectional  puzzle. 
The  key-piece  is  held  until  the  last.  One  piece  at  a 
time  is  sent  out  from  the  mail  list,  one  a  day  or  at  least 
one  every  second  day,  until  the  series  is  complete. 
Each  piece  should  carry  some  "teaser"  such  as  "Not 
many  more,"  "Don't  get  discouraged,"  "Be  patient," 
and  so  on.  It  must  de  designed  in  such  a  way  that  the 
information  is  held  back  until  the  last. 

Steve  Farrar,  of  Eldorado,  111.,  originated  the  scheme 
of  sending  out  his  Christmas  program  several  days  in 
advance  and  marking  it  with  the  usual  "Not  to  be 
opened  until  Christmas."  The  cards  were  mailed 
from  another  town  nearby  to  add  to  the  mystery. 
Most  of  them  were  kept  until  Christmas  morning 
when  the  advertisement,  on  a  handsome  greeting  card, 
did  much  to  help  the  holiday  business. 

One  theatre  announced  that  on  a  certain  afternoon 
small  boys  could  obtain  admission  on  the  presentation 
of  ten  empty  tin  cans.  It  was  looked  upon  as  a  good 
scheme  to  make  talk,  but  it  cut  two  ways,  for  presently 
every  householder  found  a  can  on  his  doorknob  with 
the  legend  in  Figure  50.  This  was  printed  on  a  bag- 
gage tag  affixed  by  means  of  the  string  about  two 
feet  long,  the  other  end  of  which  was  tied  to  the  can. 

Some  theatres  ofifer  special  matinee  prices,  children 


160  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

three  cents  apiece  or  a  quarter  a  dozen,  beinsj^  a  favor- 
ite price.  Ben  Zerr,  of  Scranton,  Pa.,  qualifies  this. 
His  cards  read  that  "any  clean  child"  will  be  admitted 
for  three  cents  with  the  discount  ticket. 


Tie  me  to    your  clog's  tail 

and  head  him  for  the 

Opera  House 

That  six  reel  comedy  to-night 

Will  make  even  a  dog  laugh 

Figure  50. — A  tag  for  a  tin  can. 

Arrange  with  grocers  to  advertise  that  on  a  certain 
day  they  will  sell  thirteen  eggs  to  the  dozen,  you  pay- 
ing the  wholesale  price  of  the  extra  eggs.  The  thir- 
teenth egg  is  stamped  with  a  rubber  stamp :  "This 
egg  may  be  bad,  but  the  shows  at  the  Grand  are  always 
good. 

Name  or  characteristic  stunts  are  good  for  now  and 
then.  If  some  feature  film  carries  a  girl's  name  in  the 
title  announce  that  at  a  certain  day  all  girls  of  the 
same  name  will  be  admitted  free  on  presentation  of 
proper  identification.  If  you've  always  heard  a  girl 
called  Sadie  and  she  says  her  middle  name  is  Jane, 
take  her  word  for  it.  Don't  argue.  Red  hair,  or  light 
or  dark  may  be  the  essential  or  the  person  may  have 
to  be  short  or  tall,  plump  or  thin,  but  keep  away  from 
such  personal  characteristics  as  crossed  eyes  or  bow 
legs.  It  is  something  that  will  make  talk  and  talk 
will  advertise  the  house.  If  you  advertise  for  thin 
people  set  up  a  gate  which  they  must  be  thin  enough 
to  pass,  or  widen  the  entrance  and  make  a  man  fill 
the  space  or  better.  If  height  or  lack  of  it  is  a  con- 
sideration, then  put  up  a  bar  which  must  be  passed 
under  or  under  which  one  must  stoop  to  pass  as  the 
case  may  be.  Whatever  it  is,  get  a  lobby  ballyhoo  and 
be  sure  and  tell  the  reporters  or  the  city  editor  in 
plenty  of  time  for  arrangements  to  be  made.  If  they 
don't  come  try  and  write  up  the  story  yourself  and 
send  it  in. 

Advertise  souvenirs  for  men  and  make  them  huge 


NOVELTY   ADVERTISEMENTS  161 

neckties  of  vivid  color  and  paper  cambric  or  crepe 
paper.  Most  odium  seems  to  attach  a  red  necktie,  so 
select  that-  color.  Offer  to  give  a  pair  of  seats  to  any 
man  who  will  wear  his  souvenir  throughout  the  per- 
formance. If  you  make  them  big-  enough  and  suffi- 
ciently uncomfortable  )'Ou'll  not  need  to  give  out  many 
seats  and  those  you  do  give  out  will  be  earned.  Then 
tell  the  papers — in  advance — about  your  necktie  party. 
Even  in  the  small  cities  the  editor  will  appreciate  a 
good  news  story  even  if  it  does  possess  an  advertising 
value  for  the  house,  as  well. 

A  reversal  of  this  is  to  print  up  neat  ribbon  badges 
of  some  star,  giving  a  reproduction  of  her  picture,  the 
name  of  your  house,  the  date  and  the  name  of  the  film. 
Send  these  out  with  a  card  that  reads  similar  to  Figure 
51.  Many  will  come  through  loyalty  to  a  favorite. 
Others  will  come  just  to  be  in  the  fashion. 


If  you  are  an  admirer  of 

Grace  Whynotte 

See  her  at  her  best  at  the 

Joy  House 

Monday,  March  10th 

in  Forgotten. 

Show  your  colors.    Wear  this  badge. 

Figure  51. — Card  to  go  with  ribbon  badge. 


Speaking  of  ribbons ;  many  exhibitors  have  found 
that  a  card  or  program  bound  with  a  gay  ribbon  will 
be  kept  where  precisely  the  same  piece  of  advertising, 
if  wire  stitched,  will  be  thrown  away. 

Curiosity  getters  in  the  form  of  envelopes  printed 
up  will  almost  always  work.  The  idea  .is  to  play  up 
certain  lines  and  keep  the  others  down  so  that  they 
will  require  close  examination  to  be  read.  The  re- 
cipient will  see  that  it  is  a  trick,  but  his  curiosity  has 
been  roused  and  he  will  want  to  see  just  what  the 
deception  is.  Figure  52  will  suggest  two  displays  for 
such  an  envelope.  These  envelopes  are  the  sort  gen- 
erally known  as  "pay"  envelopes,  a  small  manila  that 
may  be  had  cheaply.  For  the  large  lines  use  about 
an  eighteen  point  and  for  the  small  lines  the  smallest 


162  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

size  of  six-point  copperplate  i^othic  or  what  is  called 
a  box-head  gothic,  in  four-point. 


FREE 


INFORMATION 


VALUABLE 

INFORMATION 

Eigure  52. — Catchlines  for  envelopes. 

A  simple  curiosity  rouser  was  the  "Telephono- 
graphical"  lectures  devised  by  A.  G.  Wunderle,  of 
Brooklyn.  It  was  simply  a  name  and  a  megaphone 
terminating  in  a  speaking  tube  through  which  the 
lecture  was  delivered.  It  made  talk  and  talk  roused 
curiosity  which  brought  business. 

Even  so  simple  a  thing  as  oiling  a  baby  carriage  can 
be  made  an  advertisement.  One  house  has  a  stand- 
ing offer  to  oil  any  baby  carriage  whether  brought 
by  a  patron  or  not.  All  that  is  necessary  is  to  wheel 
the  vehicle  up  to  the  door  and  the  proprietor  himself 
comes  out  with  oil  can,  rag  and  wrench,  takes  off  the 
wheels,  removes  the  gritty,  dirty  oil  and  puts  on  new. 
Of  course  he  has  to  talk  about  something  and  the 
talk  is  about  two-thirds  about  the  pretty  baby  and 
one-third  about  his  fine  show.  Fathers  as  well  as 
mothers  appreciate  the  courtesy,  because  it  saves  them 
trouble,  and  after  such  a  kindness  it  would  be  thank- 
less indeed  to  go  to  another  house. 

Advertising  by  toy  balloons  is  often  done.  Orders 
for  two  seats  are  tied  to  hot  air  or  gas  balloons  and 
these  are  released.  If  the  gas  bladders  are  used 
they  should  be  sent  up  in  the  day  time.  The  hot  air 
balloons  show  up  best  in  the  evening.  The  feature  should 
be  advertised  in  advance  as  marking  some  fictitious  or 
actual  celebration  and  advice  should  be  sent  to  neighbor- 
ing towns.     Send  out  a  press  slip  reading  something  like 


NOVELTY    ADVERTISEMENTS  163 

this :  "If  you  see  balloons  in  the  air  next  Thursday  watch 
where  they  land  for  each  will  carry  two  tickets  to  the 
Strand  theatre  (name  location  here).  In  celebration  of 
their  first  anniversary  the  management  will  release 
twenty^five  balloons  and  if  the  wind  is  favorable  many 
of  them  may  drift  as  far  as  (name  of  town).  They  will 
be  sent  up  about  (name  hour). 

VV^ith  the  press  notice  send  a  pass  "similar  to  those  at- 
tached to  the  balloons"  to  get  the  editor  in  good  humor. 
It  is  an  item  of  semi-news  and  he  will  probably  use  it. 

Sticks  of  real  or  pasteboard  chewing  gum  can  be 
wrapped  in  pink  papers  with  the  house  advertisement 
printed  on  the  inside.  These  can  be  given  out  singly  or 
in  a  package  of  five  with  difTfercnt  reading  to  each  wrapper 
and  a  red  and  green  band  urging  the  receiver  to  "Chew 
over  this." 

Supposed  subpoenas  issued  by  a  "circular"  instead  of  a 
Circuit  Court,  if  printed  in  good  imitation,  will  be  start- 
ling and  lasting.  The  outside  should  be  in  the  usual 
docket  form  with  the  wording  changed  as  slightly  as  pos- 
sible, the  exhibitor  or  the  theatre  company  being  the 
plaintifif.  Inside  the  general  form  of  legal  document 
should  be  adhered  to  but  the  command  should  be  to  give 
witness  to  some  special  release.  Be  careful  to  get  advice 
on  the  wording.  Contempt  of  court  is  not  always  a 
pleasant  charge. 

A  western  Exhibitor  startled  his  staid  patrons  by  dis- 
tributing lurid  heralds  for  one  of  those  bold,  bad  bandit 
films  that  were  popular  once.  It  was  so  unusual  a  de- 
parture from  his  usual  good  taste  that  many  puzzled  over 
the  matter  until  they  looked  at  the  house  imprint.  This 
reads,  as  in  Figure  53. 

The  Herald  not  only  advertised  the  scenic  but  it  em- 
phasized the  contrast  between  the  early  days  and  the  better 
present.     Two  good  points  were  made. 

Actually  giving  away  money  is  different  from  giving 
away  passes  that  the  money  might  represent,  but  now 
and  then  an  Exhibitor  can  paste  a  coin  to  a  card  and  make 
people  take  notice.  One  card  was  worded  as  in  Figure 
54,  and  apparently  meant  good  business.    The  coin  was  a 


164  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

brand  new  nickel,  fresh  and  shiny.  An  old  coin  will  not 
serve  the  purpose,  but  your  bank  can  always  obtain  new 
money  if  asked  in  time. 

This  film  will  NOT  be  run  at  the 

NATIONAL 

But   we  have   on   Monday,   November   10th 

Something  just   a    little   better   than   usual 

Seeing  America  First 

Figure  53. — Imprint  for  a  sensational  herald. 

On  the  same  lines  is  an  appeal  to  a  select  class,  sug- 
gesting that  if  the  recipient  of  the  letter  does  not  care  to 
attend  a  regular  performance  the  Exhibitor  will  be  glad 

Try  anything  once. 

We  are  so  certain   that  you   will   like 

The  Grand  Theatre 

that  we  are  enclosing  the  price  of  the  experiment.  (Coin 

Try   it — -just   once,    anyway.  here) 

Figure  54. — A  card  with  a  real  coin. 

to  have  him  drop  in  some  morning  and  have  a  private 
showing.  -If  the  invitation  is  not  accepted  the  impression 
has  been  made  that  it  might  be  worth  looking  into.     If 

Webster  defines  hibernation  as  follows:  "To  pass  the  winter 
in  close  quarters.  To  be  in  a  torpid  or  lethargic  state."  The 
TURTLE  hibernates.  It  sees  no  beauty  of  the  winter  months 
and  buries   itself  until  the   warm  sunshine   of  the  spring  appears. 

The  approach  of  winter  prompts  the  management  of  this 
theatre  to  send  you  this  little  booklet  (or  card)  with  a  purpose 
in  view.  We  fear  you  might  be  like  the  torpid  turtle  and  stay 
too  close  to  your  fireside  these  winter  months:  hence  the  mis- 
sion of  this  little  booklet — just  a  reminder  lest  you  fall  into 
the    ways   of   the   turtle. 

Let's  not  beat  around  the  bush — the  point  we  are  striving  to 
make  plain  is  this:  We  need  the  money,  and  if  you  spend  che 
winter   nights   at   home — well,    what's   the   answer? 

We  are  asking  for  your  money.  In  reurn  we  will  strive  to 
give  you  all  that  is  good  in  pictures.  We  can  do  it — with  your 
money — if   you   do   not  hibernate,   so 

DON'T  BE  A  TURTLE 

Figure  55. — The  "turtle"  advertisement. 

the  prospect  does  come  the  Exhibitor  can  run  a  reel  or 
two  and  give  a  light  lecture  that  will  be  worth  pages  of 


NOVELTY    ADVERTISEMENTS 


165 


advertising  to  that  prospect  and  perhaps  his  friends. 

Generally  useful,  but  particularly  so  in  the  rural  dis- 
tricts where  the  country  trade  is  of  value  is  the  Turtle 
advertisement,  devised  by  Fred  Wheeler,  of  Crown  Point, 
Ind.  Figure  55  gives  the  copy.  It  has  been  widely  used 
and  always  to  good  effect. 

One  really  novel  advertisement  came  from  an  exultant 
Exhibitor.  It  read  simply:  "Celebration  week.  Admit 
one,  week  of  March  10th.    It's  a  girl ! ! !" 

Puzzle  advertisements  are  apt  to  bore  and  many  will 
not  take  the  trouble  to  solve  them,  but  five  squares  of 
colored  paste  board  that  were  to  be  placed  in  the  form 
of  a  square  made  a  lot  of  talk,  for  the  thing  was  so 
clearly  a  geometrical  impossibility.  Four  of  the  cards  were 
printed  on  both  sides  with  house  advertisements.  The 
fifth  was  printed  up  with  the  statement  of  the  puzzle  and 
added  that  the  method  would  be  shown  on  the  screen  on 
a  date  a'bout  ten  days  later.  What  the  screen  showed 
will  be  seen  in  Figure  56.  Meantime  the  town  had  be- 
come all  worked  up,  and  the  lesson  on  the  cards  had  been 
absorbed  while  the  possessor  studied  over  the  puzzle. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

Figure  56. — How  to  make  five  squares  "four-square." 


Railroad  or  theatre  ticket  advertisements  are  always 
good  novelties.  The  theatre  ticket  is  helped  along  if 
slipped  into  a  ticket  envelope,  and  it  is  almost  always  pos- 
sible to  get  some  store  to  pay  for  the  envelopes  in  return 
for  the  store  advertisement  on  the  back,  and  that  adver- 
tisement will  help  along  the  deception,  since  most  real 
ticket  envelopes  are  so  printed.  The  enclosed  tickets 
may  be  of  the  "This  ticket  and  ten  cents"  variety  or  may 


166  PICTURE   THEATRl':   AIJVliK  USING 

be  straight  advertising.  The  railroad  ticket  is  generally 
in  the  iorm  of  a  local  ticket  from  the  town  of  issue  to 
the  theatre  or  to  "a  good  time,"  or  similar  reading.  Some- 
times the  ticket  is  of  the  strip  or  coupon  sort  witli  a  stub 
for  general  advertising  and  a  different  feature  on  each 
coupon.  The  work  has  been  turned  out  on  "safety" 
paper  so  cleverly  as  to  deceive  even  a  conductor  at  first 
glance.  As  novelties  they  will  be  carried  for  some  time, 
but  both  the  paper  and  typesetting  are  expensive. 

Cut-out  paper  or  card  forms  are  frequent,  a  large  foot- 
print stating  that  all  steps  should  lead  to  the  Gem  Theatre. 
If  it  is  possible  to  get  in  touch  with  a  maker  of  insoles  for 
shoes,  the  cut-outs  can  be  made  without  the  heavy  cost 
for  dies.  A  cut-out  in  the  shape  of  an  egg  was  popular 
for  a  time.  Generally  it  carried  the  offer  of  an  absurd 
prize ;  ten  thousand  dollars  or  more,  for  a  proved  answer 
to  the  old  minstrel  inquiry  as  to  whether  the  hen  or  the 
Qgg  came  first. 

Cut-outs  usually  require  a  special  die,  unless  your 
printer  knows  where  to  pick  up  some  die-cut  paper,  but 
the  Exhibitor  who  can  get  into  touch  with  others  not  too 
close  to  his  own  territory  can  arrange  to  pro  rate  such  a 
cost.  There  is  no  reason  whatever  why  groups  of  live 
wire  Exhibitors  should  not  be  formed,  through  personal 
contact  at  league  meetings  or  through  correspondence,  to 
combine  in  sharing  the  cost  of  novelties  that  may  be 
purchased  more  cheaply  in  quantities.  If  ten  Exhibitors 
each  order  a  thousand  or  two  of  a  certain  novelty  the  cost 
of  ten  or  twenty  thousand  will  be  decidedly  less  than  the 
cost  of  one  or  two  thousand,  and  in  many  jobs,  the  first 
printing  can  be  done  for  all  Exhibitors  at  one  time,  the 
second  printing  being  done  locally  by  each  Exhibitor.  By 
such  co-operation  much  could  be  done. 


HOUSE    PROGRAMS  167 


CHAPTER     XVIII. 

HOUSE  PROGRAMS:  FORMS  AND  ADVERTISING 

Self-supporting  house  programs — vest  pockets — book- 
lets— folders — program  format — getting  outside 
advertising — stock — ^interest  schemes. 

No  form  of  picture  theatre  advertising  is  so  valuable 
to  a  house  as  a  well  printed  and  smartly  edited  program. 
Better  still,  the  program  can  be  made  not  only  self-sup- 
porting but  possibly  will  show  a  small  profit  through  use 
of  the  advertisements  of  local  tradesmen. 

Many  Exhibitors  contend  that  it  is  an  error  to  use  the 
advertisements  of  other  concerns,  called  "foreign"  adver- 
tising in  that  it  is  foreign  to  the  house  advertisement,  but 
this  contention  does  not  appear  to  be  based  upon  sound 
logic.  Where  only  a  minor  share  of  the  space  goes  to  the 
foreign  advertiser,  and  the  house  space  is  not  made  to 
suffer  through  the  greed  or  indifference  of  the  Exhibitor, 
the  foreign  advertisement  is  not  only  a  source  of  profit 
but  indirectly  it  is  an  endorsement  of  the  house  and  its 
policies  by  these  advertisers;  a  guarantee  of  their  faith  in 
the  theatre  and  its  patronage.  Naturally  no  advertiser 
will  spend  money  on  a  venture  that  does  not  deserve  to 
be  countenanced  or  which  is  not  well  patronized. 

In  many  small  towns  and  the  suburbs  of  the  cities  the 
theatre  program  is  the  only  direct  means  of  reaching  a 
large  portion  of  the  immediate  population.  It  has  already 
been  shown  that  the  picture  theatre  advertiser  cannot 
afford  to  pay  for  advertising  space,  the  rates  for  which 
are  based  upon  a  circulation  throughout  the  city  and  sur- 
rounding territory.  The  neighborhood  dealer  cannot 
afford  to  take  the  newspaper  space  for  precisely  the  same 
reason.  If  he  is  intelligent  he  will  welcome  the  chance 
to  advertise  in  a  house  organ  reaching  a  majority  of  the 
persons  to  whom  he  makes  his  appeal   for  trade.     He 


168  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

knows  that  much  of  his  own  direct  advertising  is  cast  aside 
unread.  He  knows  that  pictures  have  their  appeal.  He 
will  be  glad  to  spend  his  advertising  money  with  the  house 
organ,  where  he  can  be  sure  of  getting  into  a  majority  of 
the  homes. 

The  practice  of  printing  advertising  in  the  program  is 
one  that  is  recognized  by  the  management  of  every  dra- 
matic house  and  frequently  the  right  to  print  the  house 
program  is  sold  to  some  company  specializing  in  that 
work  for  sums  ranging  from  five  to  fifteen  thousand  dol- 
lars yearly  per  house.  Surely  the  picture  theatre  Ex- 
hibitor has  precedent  and  common  sense  on  his  side.  The 
only  danger  is  that,  finding  this  an  unexpected  source  of 
profit,  he  is  apt  to  overdo  and  give  to  the  tradespeople  the 
space  he  needs  for  his  own  house  or  should  give  his  pat- 
rons in  reading  matter. 

This  does  not  apply,  of  course,  to  the  occasional  house 
publication,  such  as  an  anniversary  program  or  souvenir 
of  some  sort.  Here  the  advertising  should  be  eliminated 
or  held  to  one  or  two  pages  in  the  rear  of  the  issue,  but 
the  weekly  program  can  and  should  carry  advertising  mat- 
ter in  reasonable  proportion,  generally  not  more  than  one- 
fourth  of  the  entire  space;  sometimes  even  less. 

House  programs  class  under  three  general  divisions, 
the  vest  pocket,  the  folder  and  the  booklet.  The  vest 
pocket  is,  as  its  name  indicates,  an  issue  small  enough  to 
go  into  the  vest  pocket.  The  folder  is  a  sheet  folded  in- 
stead of  stitched  and  is  issued  either  in  four,  six,  eight, 
ten  or  twelve  pages.  The  booklet  may  run  from  eight 
pages  to  as  much  as  business  will  warrant.  If  frequently 
is  twenty  and  twenty-four  pages  on  a  regular  issue,  com- 
prising picture  news,  local  matter  and  outside  advertis- 
ing as  well  as  house  announcements  and  the  program 
proper. 

The  chief  advantage  of  the  vest  pocket  form  is  that  it 
is  small  enough  to  be  carried  in  the  vest  pocket  or  a 
woman's  shopping  bag.  Its  principle  disadvantasfe  is  that 
it  is  too  small  to  carry  much  copy,  though  skillful  hand- 
ling wilt  enable  the  Exhibitor  to  say  quite  a  lot  and  the 
program  may  even  be  made  self-supporting. 


HOUSE   PROGRAMS 


169 


In  form  the  vest  pocket  is  oblong  or  square,  but  the 
oblong  is  the  better  shape  and  the  long  measurement, 
without  any  exception,  should  be  the  length.  Generally 
it  is  folded  once,  to  get  four  pages.  It  may  open  like  a 
book  or  the  fold  or  hinge  may  come  at  the  top,  permitting 
the  program  to  be  opened  up  into  one  continuous  strip  of 
matter.  The  size  should  be  determined  by  the  stock  avail- 
able, but  a  sheet  three  by  five  inches  is  about  right.  The 
page  should  not  be  much  wider  than  three  inches  nor 
longer  than  six.  It  may  be  much  smaller.  The  stock  may 
be  light  card  or  very  heavy  paper.     Generally  card  costs 


ssaea&^KaiiH!* 


Lake  County  National  Bank  | 

CAPITAL  taMM  7 

SDBPLOS  *  PSOmS  WlM*-  W 

UBERTYmXEl                     ILU  1 


Vest  Pocket  Program 
LYRIC  THEATRE 

J.  T.  ROBERTSON,  Prop. 
LIBERTYVILLE.  ILL. 


Qitality  First 
MEATS  &  GROCERIES 

TRIGGS  &  TAYLOR 
Libertyville,  III.         Phones:  24  &  2S 


Lake  County  National  Bank 

Capital  $50,000 
Surplus  &  Profits  $50,000 

Libertyville  111. 


Vest  Pocket  Program 

LYBICTBEflTRE 

J.  T.  ROBERTSON,  Prop. 

LIBEBTYYILLE,       ILL. 

Program  for  week  of 
February  1  to  7 


Quality  First 
lyiEATS  &  GROCERIES 

TRIGGS  &  TAYLOR 

Libertyvilla,  111.,  Phones:  24  &  25 


Figure   57. — The   program   on   the   left   can   carry  advertising 

through  the  use  of  white   space.     That  on  the  right 

is  too  crowded. 

less  than  paper  of  the  proper  weight.     For  a  program 
three  by  five  the  stock  should  be  six  by  five,  if  folded  in 
the  usual  fashion  or  three  by  ten  if  folded  at  the  top. 
The  front  page  should  carry  the  name  of  the  house, 


170  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

the  date  of  the  week  covered,  the  city,  state,  street  ad- 
dress, hours  of  performance  and  prices,  though  these  last 
two  items  need  not  be  given  where  there  is  Httle  space. 
The  date  should  be  "March  1  to  7"  rather  than  "Week  of 
March  1."  Even  on  a  small  page  a  couple  of  advertise- 
ments may  be  carried  if  only  care  is  used  to  cut  off  the 
house  title  from  the  advertising.  Figure  57  shows  two 
programs.  The  one  on  the  left  is  a  reproduction  of  an 
actual  house  program.  The  other  represents  the  wrong 
way.  The  use  of  white  space  and  proper  sized  types 
makes  it  possible  to  use  the  space  for  advertising  and  still 
have  the  house  announcement  prominent  and  distinct. 

Where  foreign  advertising  is  used  on  the  front,  it  is 
better  to  have  two  advertisements,  top  and  bottom,  with 
the  house  in  the  middle  than  to  have  the  house  head  rise 
to  the  top  and  cover  either  one  long  or  two  short  adver- 
tisements. On  the  other  hand,  if  the  space  is  all  taken 
for  the  house,  it  is  better  to  have  the  house  head  rise  to 
the  top  and  run  the  house  announcement  below,  for  here 
the  advertisement  is  a  part  of  the  program  and  not  an 
intrusion,  and  the  proper  place  for  the  heading  is  above 
all  matter. 

With  a  three-inch  width  it  is  important  to  pick  out  a 
good  type  for  the  house  name;  something  at  once  small 
and  prominent,  particularly  if  the  house  title  is  a  long 
one,  such  as  "Pastime"or  "Auditorium."  Comstock  is  a 
useful  type  for  this  work,  but  it  is  even  better  to  have  a 
cut  heading  made  that  will  be  distinctive.  A  single  draw- 
ing may  be  prepared  that  can  be  used  in  many  sizes  for 
newspaper  work,  vest  pockets,  larger  programs  and  even 
the  letter  heads. 

If  the  program  is  given  but  a  single  page,  this  should 
be  the  third  and  not  the  second  page.  The  right  hand,  or 
odd  numbered  pages  are  always  to  be  j^ref erred  to  the  left 
hand  pages  for  matter  that  is  to  attract  attention.  This 
is  the  first  page  seen  as  the  leaves  are  turned  over.  If 
but  a  single  page  is  used  there  will  be  room  only  for  the 
titles  and  the  dated  days,  but  the  days  must  be  dated.  Do 
not  trust  to  the  "Week  of — "  on  the  front  page.  Rejieat 
the  days  here  and  date.     Each  day  should  be  separated 


HOUSE    PROGRAMS  171 

from  the  others,  either  by  a  Hght  line  rule  or  white  space. 
If  the  type  is  solid,  a  two-point  lead  will  mark  the  break 
sufficiently.  Where  the  one-page  program  is  used,  the 
second  page  should  be  used  for  house  talk  and  the  back 
page  for  the  "underline"  or  coming  attractions,  or  else 
advertising  can  go  on  the  back  page  and  the  underline  on 
the  second. 

Where  the  program  is  made  to  cover  the  inside  pages 
and  features  are  used,  a  good  arrangement  is  that  shown 
in  Figure  58.  This  may  also  be  used  to  advantages  in 
programs  of  a  larger  size. 

Date.  Title  Star  Maker 

Monday  1st.  Aboard  the  Betty  Grace   White  Betterton 

Tuesday  2nd.  Fired   of  Hate  Red  Star 

Wednesday   3rd.  Power    of    Love  Jack    Stanley  Special  Features 

Figure  58. — Arrangement  for  cross  page  programs. 

This  is  useful  only  where  the  features  are  given.  If 
regular  releases  are  used,  adhere  to  the  single  page  pro- 
gram form  and  give  the  stars  and  brands  as  in  Figure  59. 
It  will  be  noted  that  the  title  comes  further  to  the  edge 
than  the  other  lines.  This  is  what  is  known  as  a  "hang- 
ing indentation."  It  gives  the  titles  slightly  more  prom- 
inence. 

Monday,  June  3rd. 

Caught    by    a    Crab.       A   screaming   seashore   comedy    with   Mary 

Mace   and   Harry   Harding   in    the    title    roles. 
.     Brought    to    Bay.     A  two-part  VENDOME  with     Jack  Broadman 

and    Olive    Masters. 

Figure  59. — House  program  announcement. 

Varying  the  style,  the  titles  might  be  printed  in  capi- 
tals and  the  players  in  italics,  the  titles  and  the  players 
in  bold  face  or  any  similar  combination  that  will  throw 
the  names  and  titles  into  relief  above  the  body  of  the 
announcement. 

Colored  stock  is  useful  here  and  since  you  will  prob- 
ably get  a  reasonably  good  grade  of  stock,  you  will  have 
less  trouble  about  muddy  tints.  Dark  green  on  light 
blue,   dark  blue   on   light  blue,  red  printed   in   a   glossy 


172 


PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


black,  primrose  printed  in  black,  French  gray  printed  in 
black  or  deep  blue,  warm  light  brown  printed  in  black 
or  a  good  poster  red,  white  printed  in  deep  blue  or  given 
rather  than  black,  and  salmon  printed  in  brown  are  all 
good  combinations.  For  some  reason  pink  looks  cheap 
and  unimportant  in  a  vest  pocket.  If  you  have  to  use 
this  because  you  can  get  nothing  el'se,  print  in  a  lake 
or  bronze-red  rather  than  in  a  vermillion  red  or  black. 
White  works  well  with  many  of  these  colors  on  a  larger 
sheet,  but  neither  white  nor  any  of  the  bronze  powders 


1 

2 

3 

4 

Back 

Front 

Figure  60. — Layout  for  a  six-page  railroad  folder. 


should  be  used  for  a  vest  pocket.  The  type  will  be  too 
small  to  give  a  good  impression  with  inks  so  heavily 
charged  with  pigment,  and  the  result  will  be  blotches 
instead  of  letters. 

The  folder  or  "railroad"  is  just  what  its  name  indicates, 
a  strip  of  stout  paper  folds  as  in  the  railroad  time  table. 
The  folding  is  done  to  avoid  the  delay  and  expense  of 
having  the  leaves  wire  stitched.  To  olTset  this  advantage 
it  is  awkward  to  handle  in  the  larger  sizes. 

In-  printing,  the  folder  may  be  double  printed  as 
described  in  Chapter  XII,  or  may  be  handled  as  two 
forms.  In  imposing  a  six-page  form  the  pages  should 
be  laid  out  so  that  the  printed  impression  {not  the  type 
form)  should  give  the  result  shown  in  Figure  60.  In  this, 
taking  the  printed  sheet,  page  four  backs  page  three,  the 
front  is  backed  by  one  and  the  back  page  by  two.  Be- 
tween pages  one  and  two  there  is  set  in  a  piece  of  rule 
midway  between  the  two  type  pages.  In  folding,  the 
right  hand  edge  of  page  three  is  brought  over  to  this 
rule  or  folding  mark  and  the  crease  is  made.  Then  the 
right  hand  edge   of  page   four,   which   the   folding  has 


HOUSE    PROGRAMS 


173 


brought  to  the  top,  is  folded  over  to  the  left  hand  edge 
of  page  one.  If  you  will  take  a  slip  of  paper  of  proper 
proportions  and  mark  it  front  and  back,  you  will  see 
just  how  this  folding  is  done  to  get  the  front  and  back 
pages  on  the  outside  and  the  pages  in  their  proper  order 
within. 

The    layouts    for   eight,    ten   and   twelve   pages    are 
shown  in  Fisfure  61. 


3  4  5  6 


3  4  5  6  7 


Back 

Front 

1 

2 

8 

Back 

Front 

1 

2 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

Back 

Front 

Figure  61. — Layouts  for  eight,  ten  and  twelve-page 
railroad  folders. 


In  folding  the  eight  no  folding  guide  is  needed.  Page 
six  is  brought  over  to  page  one  and  then  the  sheet  is 
turned  over  and  folded  again.  This  style  of  folding 
enables  the  reader  to  open  the  sheet  quickly.  It  is  not 
as  convenient  for  the  printer,  but  he  does  not  pay  for 
his  tickets.    Cater  to  those  who  do. 

Two  folding  marks  are  used  for  the  ten  page.  These 
come  between  pages  one  and  two  and  six  and  seven. 
Bring  page  three  over  to  the  folding  mark  between  six 
and  seven.  Bring  page  seven  over  to  the  mark  between 
one  and  two.     Now  fold  one  over  on  eight. 

In  the  twelve-page  the  folding  mark  comes  between 
pages  seven  and  eight.  Bring  page  six  over  on  page 
one  and  then  fold  as  a  six. 


174 


PICTURE   THEATRE    ADVERTISIX'G 


A  unique  six-page  folder  was  devised  by  Ezra  Rhodes, 
of  South  Bend,  Ind.  The  layout  is  shown  in  Figure  02. 
Pages  two  and  three  are  treated  as  a  single  page,  the 
type  lines  running  the  long  way  of  the  page,  at  right 
angles  to  the  others.  In  folding,  page  two  is  brought 
over  to  a  folding  mark  between  pages  three  and  four. 
Then  one  is  folded  on  four.  Pages  one  and  four  carry 
the  program.  Lifting  page  one  discloses  two  pages  (as 
a  single  page)  of  house  talk  or  gossip.  It  is  a  decidedly 
useful  form. 


Back 

Front 

1 

2 

3 

4 

Figure  62. — Layout  for  Rhodes  folder. 


In  selecting  stock  for  the  folder  get  heavy  paper  rather 
than  card.  A  cheaper  paper  than  is  required  for  the  vest 
pocket  can  be  used  here  for  it  will  not  have  to  stand  so 
much  rough  usage.  To  carry  out  the  railroad  idea,  the 
program  can  be  printed  in  red  and  green.  White  stock 
is  better  than  colored.  If  but  one  printing  is  given  print 
in  black,  dark  blue,  green  or  brown.  If  cuts  are  to  be 
used  brown  or  black  are  better  than  blue  or  green,  and 
blue  is  better  than  green ;  the  inks,  of  course,  being 
equal.  Here,  as  in  all  jobs,  avoid  paper  that  is  em- 
bossed, however  slightly,  whether  a  mere  pebble  grain 
or  an  alligator  hide  finish.  Keep  away  from  marbled 
papers,  watered  papers  or  other  enticements  of  the 
printer's  devil.  Get  your  type  where  it  will  print  best 
and  show  to  the  best  advantage. 

Folders  should  be  small  enough  to  be  handled  without 
the  assistance  of  a  second  person.  Like  the  vest  pocket, 
it  should  be  longer  than  it  is  wide,  from  three-fifths  to 
twice  as  long  as  the  width.  Opened  out  it  should  not 
extend  more  than  twelve  or   fourteen  inches. 

The  six-pager  gives  four  days  for  the  house  program, 
the  eight  six  or  seven.     Ten  and  twelve-page  programs 


HOUSE   PROGRAMS  175 

will  give  a  page  a  day  to  the  program  and  space  for  other 
matter.  Where  advertising  is  used,  it  should  appear  top 
and  bottom  and  not  more  than  a  third  of  the  space  on 
any  page  should  be  given  the   foreign  advertiser. 

Where  foreign  advertising  appears  on  a  program  page 
either  box  in  the  advertising  or  the  program.  If  you 
use  a  rule  border  around  each  page,  use  heavier  rule 
around  the  program  than  around  the  advertising.  Keep 
the  two  distinct  and  separate,  no  matter  if  the  advertiser 
does  kick.  You  are  primarily  running  the  program  to 
bring  business  to  your  house  and  not  for  the  purpose  of 
making  the  butcher  feel  glad  all  over.  The  extreme 
depth  of  program  depravity  is  to  run  two  columns  to  the 
page,  getting  about  six  boxes,  and  alternating  the  house 
program  with  the  foreign  advertising  in  such  a  way  that 
one  cannot  tell  which  is  which.  This  may  bring  in  some 
advertising  that  might  not  otherwise  be  obtained,  but 
there  will  be  so  little  interest  taken  in  the  program  that 
presently  you  will  have  neither  advertisements  nor  pro- 
gram. Space  is  worth  more  to  the  house  than  it  can  pos- 
sibly be  to  the  outsider  and  the  house  should  be  given  all 
the  space  it  needs  and  all  the  advantages  possible. 

Next  to  your  house,  your  duty  is  toward  your  patron. 
You  must  pay  your  readers  for  being  interested  in  the 
program  or  it  will  not  be  a  good  advertising  medium 
either  for  yourself  or  your  foreign  advertisers.  A  frankly 
house  program  or  folder  of  four  or  six  pages  does  not 
require  any  offering  beyond  the  advertising  text,  but 
above  this  you  must  give  the  reader  some  inducement  to 
become  interested  in  what  you  have  to  offer.  The  best 
thing  to  use  is  chat  about  films  and  players,  and  local 
or  neighborhood  gossip.  Old  jokes  will  not  be  read  with 
interest,  nor  will  boiler  plate  matter,  lifted  from  the  local 
papers.  The  stuff  must  be  live  and  up  to  date  and  able 
to  compete  with  the  newspaper  photoplay  page  where 
there  is  one.  As  much  space  does  not  have  to  be  used, 
but  it  must  be  more  interesting. 

For  this  reason  the  book  program  is  to  be  preferred  to 
the  vest  pocket  or  folder,  though  many  Exhibitors  find 
that   the   vest   pocket   brings   more   business.      Generally 


176 


PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


this  is  because  the  larger  program  is  not  properly  edited.^ 
In  the  book  program,  run  the  program  on  the  right 
hand  pages  and  the  text  and  advertising  matter  on  the 
left  hand.  With  the  larger  space  many  good  forms  can 
be  used.  One  is  to  side-index  the  films  as  in  Figure  63, 
which  gives  the  titles  at  a  glance  and  details  on  more 
careful  reading. 

Dr.  Dr.  Skinnem  is  flat  broke  and  greatly  distressed. 

Skinnem's  Doctor   falls  asleep  and  dreams  of  a  wonderful  in- 

Wonderful  vention  that  enriches  him  and  causes  the  departure 
Invention.  of  all  his  troubles.  What  the  invention  accom- 
— Kalem  pHshes  and  its  final  results  are  laughably  depicted. 
A  splendid  view  of  Jaffa  from  the  sea  greets  our 
The  Ancient  eyes  and,  going  ashore,  we  marvel  at  the  wonderful 
Port  of  Jaffa  street  scene  near  the  Custom  House.  We  journey 
— Kalem  on  to  the  auction  market  and  then  visit  the  public 

fountain  on  the  Jaffa  road. 

Figure  63. — Side  indexed  program  matter. 

Another  form  uses  the  side  index  for  the  players" 
name,  the  general  idea  being  the  same  as  that  in  Figure 
63  except  that  the  title  is  used  to  start  the  descriptive 
paragraph  and  the  margin  is  given  to  the  players'  names 
in  italics. 

A  third  form  uses  boxes  as  in  Figure  64.  This  is 
particularly  good  when  plenty  of  space  is  at  command, 
but  it  makes  for  an  orderly  arrangement  wherever  it  may 
be  used. 


Lost .  in  the  Canon  (Monarch)  Preferring 
to  see  the  woman  he  loves  dead  rather  than 
the  wife  of  another,  Jack  Lanyon 
'PHILIP  PEYTON)  deliberately  leads 
Bess  Barrington  (MAUDE  MULTRAV- 
ERS)  into  the  recesses  of  Dead  Man's 
Canycin  and  deserts  her.  but  she  is  rescued 
l>y     Dave    Stanley     (COLEMAN     CURTIS). 

If  We  But  Knew.  (Splendide).  A  grip- 
ping four-part  story,  one  of  the  best  this 
company  has  offered  in  many  months.  It 
shows  how  differently  we  might  order  our 
lives  if  we  but  knew  the  consequences  of 
our  acts.  It  tells  the  story  of  a  voung 
married  couple  (MABEL  MANNERS  and 
CLYDE  CARSTAIRS)  and  how  they 
nearly  wrecked  their  lives  through  lack  of 
intuition. 


Figure  64. — Program  boxes  dated. 


HOUSE   PROGRAMS  177 

Where  space  is  limited  it  is  sometimes  advisable  to 
run  all  the  stories  for  a  day  into  a  single  paragraph. 
When  this  is  done  the  titles  should  be  set  in  full  face 
capitals,  the  players  in  full  face  italic  and  the  brands  in 
straight  italic  in  order  to  play  them  up.  In  this  form 
the  text  should  be  chatty  and  intimate,  as  though  you 
were  telling  a  friend  what  tomorrow's  bill  would  be, 
rather  than  formal  and  descriptive.  This  form  can  al- 
ways be  used  to  good  effect  in  a  resume  of  the  week  pre- 
ceding the  set  copy. 

As  in  all  other  forms  of  advertising,  the  book  pro- 
gram should  tell  the  day  of  the  month  and  the  month 
as  well  as  the  day  of  the  week.  No  matter  how  prom- 
inently the  date  may  be  featured  on  the  cover  page  or 
even  at  the  top  of  the  program  page,  the  program  for 
each  day  should  be  fully  dated  to  catch  the  person  who 
may  not  feel  sufficient  interest  to  look  the  matter  up, 
but  who  cannot  help  remembering  if  he  sees  the  date 
and  title  in  connection. 

In  a  book  program  the  front  page  should  suggest  a 
permanent  publication.  The  heading  of  any  magazine 
will  suggest  an  arrangement.  Figure  65  shows  a  good 
layout.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  take  some  title,  "The  Bijou 
Bulletin,"  "Reel  Facts,"  or  something  similar.  This  title 
should  be  set  in  a  bold,  plain  face.  This  is  one  of  the 
few  places   where   it  is   permissible  to  use  all  capitals. 

Devoted  to  photoplay    matters    and  the    Gem    Theatre 

Volume  III  Joytown,  N.  Y.,  June  29,  1915  Number  4 

Figure  65. — A  program  heading. 

The  title  should  rise  to  the  top  of  the  page  and  should 
not,  as  in  the  vest  pocket,  be  shown  in  the  centre  of  the 
page. 

If  desired  "ears"  may  be  used  in  the  heading.  These 
are  the  small  rule  boxes  on  either  side  of  the  name  of 
the  paper,  carying  special  statements.     They  are  useful 


178  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

in  calling  attention  to  special  features  or  in  making  refer- 
ence to  special  pages  in  the  issue. 

The  rest  of  the  front  page  may  be  advertising,  but 
should  preferably  be  either  text  or  a  portrait,  if  one  can 
be  had  that  will  suit  the  paper.  It  is  a  grave  error  to 
suppose  that  anything  called  a  cut  will  do  for  the  front 
page.  The  use  of  a  coarse  screen  cut  will  spoil  much  of 
the  impression  that  might  otherwise  be  made,  and  in 
the  right  sort  of  program  the  cover  paper  should  be  of 
a  grade  to  take  about  a  120'-screen  cut  and  nothing  less. 

If  you  want  type  on  the  front  page,  the  best  use  is  for 
house  talk.  Make  this  a  feature  of  your  publication. 
Have  a  heart  to  heart  talk  with  your  patrons  each  week 
on  any  subject  that  may  suggest  itself.  Perhaps  there 
is  a  tendency  to  unruliness  on  the  part  of  some.  Write 
your  leader  on  this.  Ask  the  offenders  to  quiet  down. 
Explain  to  them  that  it  is  your  duty  to  give  a  good  value 
to  all  ticket  buyers  and  that  most  of  them  want  to  enjoy 
the  pictures  in  peace  and  quietness.  Do  not  say  that  you 
are  going  to  dump  some  of  the  offenders  out  into  the 
alley  on  the  backs  of  their  necks,  but  let  it  be  inferred 
in  a  nice  way  that  something  unpleasant  is  going  to 
happen  presently  if  the  trouble  persists.  This  will  get 
you  solid  with  the  better  patrons  and,  if  you  frame  the 
talk  right,  you'll  be  friends  again  with  the  offenders. 

Perhaps  an  opposition  starts  vaudeville.  This  will 
be  a  good  place  to  explain  why  you  do  not  offer  vaude- 
ville. A  local  censorship  may  threaten.  Here  is  the 
place  to  discuss  the  matter.  If  you  do  not  run  the  house 
matter  here,  run  it  on  the  editorial  page,  but  run  it  some- 
where in  the  program  every  issue  and  make  it  so  in- 
teresting that  people  will  turn  to  it  the  first  thing. 

By  all  means  have  an  editorial  head.  This  is  not  the 
same  as  the  front  page  heading,  but  a  one  or  two-column 
heading  somewhere  in  the  paper.  It  may  run  on  page 
three  or  page  two,  or  page  two  may  be  given  over  to  the 
heading  and  house  information.  If  you  run  your  edi- 
torial on  the  front  page  then  take  your  second  page  for 
the  editorial  heading  and  announcements.     The  heading 


HOUSE    PROGRAMS  179 

proper    is    shown    in    Figure    G6.      The    announcements 
should  immediately  follow. 


The  Photogram 


Devoted   to    the   photoplay   and   the   Gem    Theatre 


John  Henry  Smith,  Manager 
Henry  Albert  Jones,  Editor 


Issued    weekly    and    accepted    as    first    class    matter    in    every 
home   in   Joytown. 

Joy  town,    N.    Y.,    June    29,    131 5 
Figure  66. — Editorial  heading  for  program. 

The  details  may  be  adapted  from  these  suggestions : 

The  Gem  is  located  at  312  Grand  Avenue,  between 
Jay  and  Piermont  streets.  It  may  be  reached  by  the 
Grand  Avenue,  Brookland,  or  Jay  street  cars  or  by 
transfer  to  those  lines. 

Matinees  are  given  each  afternoon  at  3:30.  These 
are  precisely  the  same,  in  every  particular,  as  the  evening 
performances.  Prices  are  ten  cents  to  all  parts  of  the 
house  except  the  loges.     These  are  five  cents  additional. 

Evening  performances  are  given  at  7  :30  and  9  o'clock. 
Evening  admission  prices  are  ten  and  twenty  cents. 
Loges  twenty-five  cents. 

Reserved  seats  are  sold  for  the  first  evening  perform- 
ance only.  They  may  be  ordered  by  telephone  (Pier- 
mont-3795)  and  will  be  held  until  7  :15,  when  they  will 
be  placed  in  the  rack  again. 

The  program  is  changed  four  times  a  week,  on  Mon- 
day, Wednesday,  Friday  and  Sunday. 

The  current  or  coming  program  or  times  of  perform- 
ance of  any  special  subject  may  be  had  by  calling  Pier- 
mont-3795. 

A  ladies'  retiring  room,  with  all  first  aids  to  injured 
toilettes,  will  be  found  upstairs  to  the  right. 

Men's  smoking  room  to  the  left  of  the  foyer  on  the 
main  floor. 

Physicians  or  others  who  may  be  called  suddenly  are 


180  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

asked  to  register  their  names  when  purchasing  tickets. 

If  you  wish  to  be  certain  of  obtaining  this  program 
regularly  send  or  leave  your  address,  enclosing  postage 
at  the  rate  of  one  cent  per  copy  to  cover  the  period  of 
your  subscription. 

This  may  be  changed,  added  to  or  reduced  to  suit 
conditions,  but  a  full  and  completely  informative  bulletin 
is  a  valuable  feature  of  a  program.  Do  not  give  out  a 
formidable  list  of  house  rules,  bristling  with  "must's" 
and  "dont's."  That  will  antagonize.  Tell  the  things  most 
persons  wish  to  know  or  should  know. 

Always  print  prominently  the  fire  notice  found  at  the 
close  to  Chapter  VIII.  Print  it  in  larger  and  blacker  type 
than  the  rest  of  the  announcement. 

Be  careful  in  the  wording  of  your  announcements  not 
to  offend.  One  house  program  reads :  "Children  under 
two  years  of  age  not  admitted  to  evening  performances. 
We  do  not  object  to  your  bringing  them  to  the  matinees, 
but  in  justice  to  our  patrons  we  must  insist  th^t  you 
keep  them  quiet  or  else  leave  the  theatre.  Your  money 
will  be  cheerfully  refunded." 

That  would  be  all  right  in  a  charity  clinic,  but  it  is 
addressed  to  patrons  and  should  have  been  toned  down. 
This  means  the  same  thing:  "For  the  comfort  of  the 
greater  number  of  our  patrons  we  are  compelled  to  refuse 
admission  at  the  evening  performances  to  children  too 
young  to  be  kept  quiet.  At  matinee  performances  the 
kiddies  will  be  welcome  and  admission  will  be  refunded 
if  their  crying  necessitates  the  mother's  leaving  the 
house."  This  means  the  same  thing  but  it  does  not  sound 
the  same  way.  Now  and  then  some  woman  will  see 
most  of  the  show  and  then  pinch  the  baby  and  get  her 
money  back,  but  even  at  that  it  will  pay. 

Make  your  announcements  harmonize.  Do  not  say 
on  one  page  that  you  will  never  show  anything  objection- 
able and  on  another  page  announce  that  a  coming  feature 
barely  passed  the  censors. 

The  distribution  of  the  remaining  matter  is  largely 
a  question  of  what  that  material  is.  If  you  have  plenty 
of  space  give  a  page  a  day  to  the  program,  though  half 


HOUSE    PROGRAMS 


181 


of  that  is  plenty  enough  on  a  seven  by  nine  page.  If 
your  program  carries  many  cuts,  find  out  from  the 
printer  how  he  lays  out  the  forms.  You  may  find  that 
you  can  get  all  of  the  cuts  in  one  form.  It  will  generally 
cost  less  to  run  a  straight  type  form  than  one  in  which 
there  are  halftones,  and  by  keeping  the  latter  to  one  form 
you  may  cut  the  expense  slightly  without  losing  any  of 
the  effect.  Where  a  page  is  wide,  it  is  a  good  scheme 
to  set  three  colums  to  the  page  and  run  reading  matter 
down  the  centre  columns  on  the  advertising  pages.  This 
will  help  the  advertiser  by  making  those  pages  read.  If 
there  is  not  room  for  more  than  two  columns  then  run 
the  text  on  the  outside  columns  and  the  advertising 
inside. 


I.  B.  COHEN 

tTKlN    BLOCK    CLOTHB8 


BVtaVTHING  FOR  IriR.  OOODDRE3SES 


A   RIOT 

Mr.  Charles  Chaplin 

"A  JITNXT  ELOPEHENT" 


NEW 
Chaplin  Comedies 


as  Released 


"BLACK  BOX 
Every  Monday  I 


Figure  67. — A  good  arrangement  for  the  inner  pages  of  a 
four-page  program. 

Where  the  program  is  but  four  pages,  it  is  a  good  plan 
to  set  as  one  page,  running  the  lines  up  and  down  instead 
of  across.  Frame  the  program  in  heavy  rule  and  run  the 
advertising  outside  of  this.  Another  good  arrangement 
will  be  found  in  Figure  67. 


182  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Colored  covers  add  much  to  the  effectiveness  of  a 
program  and  are  not  very  costly  if  they  are  purchased 
ready-printed  in  quantities.  It  does  not  pay  to  at- 
tempt the  local  production  of  a  colored  cover,  but  these 
may  be  had  from  several  companies  ready  printed  in  color 
and  needing  only  a  single  printing  in  the  local  office. 
Ordered  in  small  quantities  and  for  a  single  run  they  are 
expensive,  and  expressage  adds  to  the  cost,  but  when 
they  are  taken  in  a  quantity  sufficient  to  gain  an  ap- 
preciable discount  they  can  be  sent  by  freight  very 
cheaply.  These  companies  print  up  in  half-million  lots, 
getting  the  press  ready  once  and  running  along  on  the 
job  without  change.  It  is  the  making  ready  and  regis- 
tration of  two  or  more  colors  that  counts  for  more  than 
the  presswork  of  the  paper,  and  where  this  cost  is  ap- 
portioned to  five  hundred  thousand  the  percentage  per 
thousand  is  very  small.  It  is  best  to  get  an  experimental 
lot  and  see  how  it  works.  If  the  experiment  is  a  success 
send  in  a  wholesale  order. 

In  going  after  foreign  advertising,  plan  your  cam- 
paign. Get  up  a  dummy  showing  how  the  issue  will 
look.  This  may  be  merely  blank  sheets  ruled  to  show 
the  spaces  or  it  can  be  partly  printed,  with  blanks  where 
the  advertising  is  to  come. 

First  visit  the  stores  you  favor  with  your  own  patron- 
age. Your  own  merchants  are  more  apt  to  patronize  you 
than  those  you  do  not  trade  with,  but  if  Jones  sees  that 
Smith,  who  is  in  the  same  line,  has  come  in,  he  will  want 
to  be  represented,  too.  Use  your  own  trades  people  for 
ice  breakers.  There  will  be  plenty  of  ice  that  will  need 
breaking. 

Get  a  good  line  of  talk.  Point  out  that  this  program 
will  not  only  go  into  every  house  within  a  radius  of  ten 
blocks  from  your  centre  but  that  it  will  stay  there.  Point 
out  that  the  pictures  are  more  widely  interesting  than 
meats  or  flour  and  that  a  picture  theatre  program  will 
be  taken  inside,  where  the  throwaway  of  the  grocery  or 
butcher  shop  will  be  kicked  off  the  steps.  Do  not  state 
this  fact  offensively.  Tell  how  many  you  will  get  out 
and  how  you  will  distribute  them.     Don't  say  you  are 


HOUSE   PROGRAMS  183 

going  to  send  out  ten  thousand  when  the  man  you  are 
talking  to  knows  there  are  not  that  many  people  in  town. 
Tell  the  truth.  Then  if  the  printer  talks  there  is  no 
comeback  at  you. 

Where  you  cannot  talk  up  advertising  cards  perhaps 
you  can  get  them  started  with  a  trade  directory.  Offer 
two  lines  of  space,  or  one,  as  your  page  seems  to  require. 
Take  only  a  page  or  two.  Run  an  alphabetical  list,  as 
in  Figure  68.  Charge  twenty-five  cents  an  issue,  but 
require  a  contract  for  two  or  three  months.  Before  that 
time  is  up  you'll  have  had  a  chance  to  convert  a  few  to 
cards  and  the  rest  will  follow. 


Bakery — J.    H.    Henderson,    Baker    and    caterer,    456    Main    St. 

Tel.    Main    97. 
Butter  and  Eggs — Clover  Dairy.     Ten  delivery  routes.     Orange 

Road  near  Pelham  Turnpike.     Tel.  Orange  956. 

H.     A.     Harvey.     Best     Elgin     36    cents,    732     Main     St. 

Tel.   Main   775. 
Banking — First    National    Bank.       Check    and    savings    accounts 

solicited.     Loans.      Main  at  Myrtle   Sts.     Tel.  Main  663. 

Figure  68. — Trade  directory  for  program. 

If  you  prefer  to  solicit  by  mail,  try  a  set  of  follow-up 
letters.  Get  them  out  at  intervals  of  about  a  week  and 
each  should  be  accompanied  by  a  copy  of  the  program, 
sent  under  letter  postage.    The  first  reads : 

We  are  circulating  about  five  thousand  copies  of  our  weekly 
program  within  a  radius  of  ten  blocks  from  your  store.  Do  you 
want  to  share  with  us,  at  a  most  moderate  price,  advertising 
that  stays  alive  a  whole  week  and  is  replaced  by  advertising  just 
as  vital?  We'll  take  a  few  advertisements  for  the  program  and 
put  them  where  they  will  be  seen.  We'll  do  it  for  a  price  that 
wouldn't  buy  an  inch  in  the  daily  papers.  A  daily  paper  covers 
the  entire  city.  Every  copy  we  send  out  stays  right  in  the 
vicinity  of  your  business.  You  pay  only  for  what  you  get. 
Let's  talk  it  over  with  you.  Tell  us  when  to  come  and  we'll 
be  there.  Just  mark  day  and  hour  on  the  enclosed  postal.  You 
can't  afford  the  cost  of  newspaper  advertising,  but  you  can't 
afford  not  to  place  your  ad.  with  us. 

Following  this  up  you  might  write  a  week  later: 

You  haven't  told  us  to  come  and  talk  advertising  to  you,  so 
we  suppose  you  are  still  thinking  it  over.  Every  week  you 
stay  out  is  costing  you  money — and  it's  costing  us  money.  Make 
an  appointment.  Let  us  give  you  a  few  brief  figures  and  back 
them    up    with    facts. 


184  PICTURE  THEATRE  ADVERTISING 

If  that  didn't  bring  him  into  the  fold  make  a  last  try 
something  like  this: 

We  don't  want  to  be  a  nuisance,  and  we  won't  be,  but  you 
haven't  told  us  when  we  can  tell  you  about  that  5,000  circula- 
tion within  half  a  mile  of  your  store.  You  don't  have  to  ad- 
vertise, but  don't  you  think  it  is  worth  talking  it  over?  We  are 
at  your  service   any  time. 

If  he  does  not  reply  to  this,  wait  until  he  fails  and  get 
after  his  successor,  but  it  is  best  to  make  your  campaign 
a  personal  one  and  not  trust  to  letters.  If  you  have  the 
right  sort  of  confidence  in  your  scheme  you  can  talk 
more  and  better  in  three  minutes  than  you  can  write  in 
a  week. 

Now  and  then  you  may  have  to  prove  your  point. 
Perhaps  the  druggist  thinks  that  advertising  in  the  pro- 
gram will  not  pay.  Ask  him  if  he  will  sell  soda  for 
three  cents  a  glass.  If  no  one  reads  the  advertising,  he 
is  safe  in  making  the  promise.  Print  a  free  advertise- 
ment to  that  effect.  That  should  tell  its  story.  In  the 
same  way  get  the  grocer  or  the  butcher  to  advertise  some 
bargain  with  you  and  nowhere  else. 

Don't  let  your  advertisers  waste  their  space.  Don't 
let  that  druggist,  for  instance,  use  the  time  honored 
"Drugs  and  sundries.  Prescriptions  carefully  com- 
pounded." Tell  him  you  cannot  afford  to  take  an  ad- 
vertisement like  that.  It  will  be  the  truth,  for  presently 
he  will  be  telling  others  that  he  took  his  advertisement 
out  because  it  did  not  pay,  and  that  will  get  them  guess- 
ing. Make  him  advertise  his  bargains  and  his  specialties. 
Make  him  give  you  a  chance  to  make  good  for  him. 
Work  the  same  way  with  the  others.  Be  interested  in 
something  more  than  their  money.  Waste  a  little  time 
making  advertisers  out  of  your  advertisers.  But  do  not 
give  time  to  your  advertisers  at  the  expense  of  your 
house.     That  comes  first. 

It  may  seem  like  poor  advice,  but  the  stock  for  the 
inside  pages  of  your  program  should  not  be  too  good. 
Most  of  the  halftones  available  will  be  coarse  screen,  so 
get  a  good  news  that  will  work  with  these.  If  you  have 
a  book  paper  you'll  not  be  able  to  work  the  halftones. 
Fine  news  will  look  well,  take  ink  well  and  dry  quickly 


HOUSE   PROGRAMS  185 

and  not  smear.  A  better  grade  of  paper  will  not  work 
so  well  and  will  be  more  apt  to  be  smeary.  For  the  cover 
you  can  and  should  have  a  better  stock  and  you  can  dress 
it  up.  You  can  get  fine  screen  halftones  for  the  front 
or  you  can  purchase  photographs  and  have  your  own 
screen  cut  made.  If  you  use  a  pictorial  front  do  not 
use  too  laige  a  cut.  Instead  get  the  printer  to  make  you 
up  a  really  nice  front.  He  can  do  it  if  he  has  a  proper 
border  stock.  Have  this  electrotyped  and  then  mortised 
for  the  cut.  If  you  cannot  get  a  fancy  frame  you  may 
have  one  drawn,  or  perhaps  you  can  steal  one  of  those 
drawn  around  a  magazine  cut.  Some  of  the  medium 
large  magazines  rake  over  all  the  foreign  publications  in 
search  of  frames  to  steal.  They  can  use  these  over  and 
over  again,  getting  credit  for  about  twice  as  much  cut 
as  they  really  show.    If  they  can  do  it,  you  certainly  can. 

For  the  benefit  of  your  program  and  your  advertisers 
alike,  run  a  series  of  contests,  but  remember  that  it  must 
be  a  contest  of  skill  and  not  a  lottery.  The  program 
must  be  free  to  all  persons.  There  must  be  no  hint  of 
entrance  fee  of  any  sort,  not  even  an  admission  to  the 
house,  though  a  good  show  goes  with  the  ticket.  The 
contest  must  be  absolutely  open.  Offer  a  prize  for  the 
best  advertisement  made  up  of  lines  taken  from  the  ad- 
vertisements shown,  not  more  than  one  line  from  any 
one  advertisement,  and  the  complete  line  to  be  used. 
When  this  stales  get  something  else.  Have  words  in 
some  advertisements  spelled  with  one  letter  from  a 
wrong  font.  These  letters  are  to  form  the  title  of  a 
coming  release.  Have  a  full  face  letter  in  some  ten-point 
line,  a  Roman  letter  in  a  display,  and  so  on.  Don't  make 
it  too  easy.  Make  it  hard  enough  to  keep  the  answers 
down  and  interest  up.  Then  take  the  first  letter  in  the 
third  word  of  the  second  line  of  Smith's  announcement, 
the  seventh  letter  in  the  fifth  word  of  the  ninth  line  in 
Brown's,  and  so  on.  Require  these  letters  to  be  trans- 
posed into  a  film  title,  the  name  of  some  great  American, 
or  whatever  you  will.  Get  anything  that  is  different 
from  the  old  missing  word  and  misspelled  stuff. 

Give  the  winners  on  the  screen,  in  the  program,  and 


186  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

in  front  of  the  house.  In  the  lobby  display  the  winning 
answers.  If  you  make  them  difficult  enough  there  will 
not  be  too  many  correct  answers.  If  there  are  many, 
state  in  the  terms  of  the  contest  that  the  earliest  one 
will  be  the  winner,  the  box  office  stamp  or  the  postmark 
determining  the  time.  Get  a  five-dollar  time-stamp  for 
the  ticket  seller  and  let  her  stamp  the  answers  handed  in, 
but  do  not  require  that  the  replies  be  brought  to  the 
house,  though  most  of  them  will  be,  and  you'll  get  them 
where  they  must  see  your  lobby  display. 

Offer  prizes  of  small  value,  a  box  of  candy,  a  pair  of 
seats,  or  something  like  that.  Perhaps  some  candy  store 
will  contribute  the  candy  for  the  mention,  and  the  drug- 
gist will  give  a  jar  of  cold  cream  of  his  own  make,  and 
so  on.  It  is  better  to  have  several  small  prizes  than  one 
big  one,  and  do  not  give  a  prize  to  the  same  person  two 
weeks  in  succession.     Have  that  understood. 

The  marked  program,  the  program  with  lucky  num- 
bers, or  any  scheme  of  that  sort,  is  a  lottery.  You  may 
never  be  made  officially  aware  of  that  fact  or  you  may 
be  arrested  tomorrow.     Don't  take  chances. 

Where  programs  are  issued  to  cover  the  month  some 
scheme  to  cause  them  to  be  kept  alive  will  help.  Some 
programs  have  certain  features  starred.  Matinee  ad- 
mission to  those  so  marked  is  free  on  presentation  of 
the  program.  The  last  star  is  late  in  the  last  week  the 
program  has  to  run.  The  list  will  be  studied  closely  and 
consulted  frequently,  which  is  precisely  the  aim  of  the 
Exhibitor.  The  weekly  program  may  be  used  in  the 
same  way,  the  program  being  good  for  a  Friday  matinee. 
It  might  be  well  to  qualify  this  and  limit  the  free  ad- 
mission to  persons  over  sixteen.  Then  the  children  will 
be  more  apt  to  leave  them  in  desirable  hands.  Do  not 
make  any  expensive  advertising  too  attractive  to  children 
as  personal  property  or  they  will  get  it  and  it  will  do  little 
good. 

The  better  scheme  is  to  make  the  program  so  well 
worth  while  that  it  will  be  kept  for  its  own  sake.  It  is 
possible  to  get  out  a  program  that  people  will  not  only 
want  but  demand,  that  will  be  so  good  an  advertising 


HOUSE   PROGRAMS  187 

medium  that  advertisers  will  beg  to  be  let  in,  that  will 
do  the  house  so  much  good  that  it  can  afford  to  get  out 
an  even  better  one. 

Have  that  sort  of  a  program 


CHAPTER  XIX. 
COPY  FOR  HOUSE  PROGRAMS 

To  be  read,  be  interesting — hiring  an  editor — a  letter 
box — getting  out  the  synopsis — reserving  the 
suspense — copy  for  general  use. 

Bear  always  in  mind  the  fact  that  you  are  getting^ 
out  your  program  to  make  business.  To  achieve  this 
result  your  program  must  be  read  and  read  thoroughly. 
Pay  your  patrons  for  reading  your  program.  You  can 
pay  them  by  giving  them  something  they  desire  to 
read  in  return  for  reading  what  you  desire  that  they 
should  read. 

They  are  interested  in  motion  pictures ;  not  merely 
the  motion  picture  subjects  you  have  to  offer,  but 
motion  pictures  in  general,  the  art,  the  productions 
and  the  players.  Tell  them  all  you  can  about  these 
subjects.  Do  not  take  your  copy  from  the  motion 
picture  magazines.  It  is  likely  that  they  have  seen 
these  and  are  not  interested  in  reading  the  same  matter 
over  again.  Turn,  instead,  to  the  trade  paper  and  the 
manufacturer's  bulletins  and  special  service.  Make 
up  your  copy  from  this.  The  principal  requirements 
are  intelligence  and  good  taste,  a  pair  of  shears  and 
some  paste. 

If  you  have  not  the  time  to  get  up  copy  or  lack 
confidence  in  yourself,  perhaps  some  young  man  or 
woman,  more  than  usually  interested  in  the  pictures 
and  able  to  write,  will  do  the  work  for  you  without 
charge  in  return  for  the  privilege  of  having  access  to 
this  literature  and  the  theatre  in  general.     It  would 


188  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

be  even  better  to  pay  some  newspaper  writer  five  or 
ten  dollars  to  do  the  work  for  you.  If  you  pay  ten  or 
fifteen  dollars  to  get  out  a  program  that  is  not  read, 
for  ten  dollars  more  you  can  o^et  out  a  program  that 
is  not  only  read  but  so  eagerly  sought  that  you  can 
increase  your  foreign  advertising  ten  or  twelve  dollars, 
the  arithematic  is  simple  enough. 

No  patron  is  going  to  read  the  program  just  to  be 
obliging.  It  must  be  made  attractive.  It  must  be 
planned  to  increase  interest  in  pictures  in  general.  It 
can  be  done,  and  with  small  effort. 

If  you  can,  get  something  that  will  carry  interest 
over  from  week  to  week.  Printing  conundrums  one 
week  and  the  replies  the  next  will  not  do  it.  A  serial 
story  is  impossible  since  the  installments  would  be 
too  short.  Printing  the  stories  of  the  film,  that  one 
time  standby,  will  not  do  because  it  has  been  found  that 
this  kills  suspense.  It  is  hard  enough  to  get  suspense 
into  a  story  at  best  because  of  certain  technical  limi- 
tations. You  cannot  afford  to  kill  what  little  there  is 
by  telling  beforehand  just  how  Jack  is  saved.  Every- 
one knows  that  he  zvill  be  saved.  The  sole  remaining 
element  of  suspense  is  the  "how."  Get  something 
local,  if  possible.  The  contests  described  in  the  last 
chapter  will  help  to  give  interest,  but  suppose  that  you 
ofifer  a  column  or  a  page  to  the  ever  ready  letter 
writers.  Writing  to  the  papers  is  a  favorite  indoor 
sport.  Cater  to  it  by  giving  up  a  page  to  your  readers. 
Run  an  announcement  something  like  that  given  in 
Figure  69.  If  the  letters  are  dull,  write  a  couple  your- 
self and  start  the  ball  rolling.  Criticize  some  favorite 
star.  Take  your  coat  oflf  and  pitch  right  in.  Sneer  at 
the  way  he  struts  instead  of  walks.  Assert  that  his 
nose  is  twisted  to  the  left  and  that  his  longing  glance 
suggests  that  he  has  a  pair  of  glass  eyes.  Sign  it 
"Movie  Fan."  Then  use  the  best  of  the  letters  in  reply 
for  a  couple  of  weeks  and  start  something  else.  Com- 
plain of  peanuts  or  loud  smelling  chewing  gum.  Say 
what  you  think.  Then  as  manager-editor  add  a  note 
to  the  effect  that  you  think  that  the  correspondent  is 


HOUSE   PROGRAMS  189 

mistaken  or  has  your  house  confounded  with  some 
other.  You  will  get  a  hundred  alibis.  Use  ten  of  the 
best  and  a  couple  of  those  that  are  in  agreement  with 
the  supposed  opinions  of  the  first  writer.  If  you  pull 
the  wires  nicely,  with  this  idea  alone  you  can  keep  the 
interest  up  for  months.  You'll  have  a  lot  of  fun  into 
the  bargain,  but  don't  get  puffed  up  and  proudly  ex- 
plain to  a  few  friends  that  you  wrote  the  decoy  letters 
yourself.  These  friends  will  tell  their  friends  and 
so  on.  Don't  even  tell  your  wife,  if  you  have  one; 
perhaps  her  least  of  all. 

TO  PUBLISH   SUGGESTIONS 

With  this  issue  we  throw  our  columns  open  to  such  of  the  pub- 
lic as  may  have  suggestions  to  offer  upon  any  matter  connected 
with  the  art  of  the  Photo-Play,  or  the  operation  of  our  theatre. 

Write  us  and  tell  us  what  films  or  artists  you  like  best,  point 
out  errors  or  inconsistencies  in  plot,  action  or  costume.  If  you 
are  curious  concerning  any  of  the  actors  or  actresses  who  pose, 
write  us  and  we  will  if  possible  answer  your  queries  in  the  issue 
following  the  receipt  of  your  communication. 

In  writing,  please,  if  possible,  use  a  typewriter  and  write 
on  one  side  only  of  the  paper. 

We  trust  that  the  public  will  make  good  use  of  this  offer.  We 
will  enelavor,  on  our  part,  to  make  this  department  of  decided 
interest  to  the  public. 

Figure  69. — Invitation  for  a  suggestion  box. 

Better  still,  you  will  learn  a  lot  about  the  likes  and  dis- 
likes of  yom  patrons  and  the  reasons  for  their  prefer- 
ences. You  will  be  able  to  explain  things,  to  tell  why  you 
do  this  and  do  not  do  that.  The  effect  is  good,  not  alone 
on  those  who  write,  but  on  all  who  read,  if  only  the  page 
is  conducted  sympathetically  and  intelligently.  People 
who  hesitate  to  speak  to  you  will  write  to  the  impersonal 
department. 

Chapter  fifteen  has  offered  suggestions  on  condensing 
synopses  and  leaving  out  the  climax,  but  this  dealt  with 
the  short  synopsis  for  newspaper  work  more  than  it  did 
with  program  matter.  If  you  need  copy  to  fill,  you  can 
make  the  story  more  ample,  but  there  is  so  much  better 
material  to  hand  that  it  scarcely  pays  to  run  much  of  the 
story.  Where  you  do  run  a  synopsis  edit  it  carefully  to 
fit.  There  is  no  interest  whatever  in  a  story  that  is  cut 
off  wherever  the  bottom  of  the  column  comes. 


190  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

If  you  want  to  run  a  synopsis,  see  if  you  have  the  space. 
If  you  have  not,  cut  the  story  before  it  goes  to  the  printer 
and  not  when  it  comes  back.  Do  not  find  at  the  last  mo- 
ment that  you  have  too  much  stuff  and  leave  off  wherever 
the  break  must  be  made. 

Keep  some  filler  stuff  on  hand.  Filler  is  short  ma- 
terial that  can  be  used  to  fill  out  a  short  column  with. 
It  should  be  matter  that  will  not  grow  stale  with  keeping. 
Keep  on  hand  a  few  longer  stories  of  the  same  non-aging 
sort. 

If  you  are  to  be  an  editor  you  must  learn  a  new  set  of 
tricks.  When  you  send  an  advertisement  to  the  news- 
paper or  a  bill  to  the  printer,  you  lay  it  out  and  it  comes 
back  set  with  all  the  material  in  place.  With  a  program 
you  must  "dummy  up,"  or  lay  it  out  after  the  type  has 
been  set.  You  send  in  your  copy  as  it  comes  and  wait  for 
it  to  come  back.  When  it  does  you  will  get  two  sets,  one 
on  white  and  another  on  colored  paper,  as  a  rule,  though 
some  printers  use  white  for  both  sets.  One  of  these  will 
be  marked  "Revise,"  or  merely  "Rev.,"  which  means 
that  it  has  been  already  corrected,  but  waits  your  further 
pleasure.  Perhaps  some  additional  errors  will  have  been 
discovered  and  marked  in.  On  these  ships  you  mark 
your  corrections.  The  other  set  you  keep.  When  the 
copy  is  all  in  you  start  to  "dummy." 

In  sending  copy  to  the  printer  you  mark  on  each  piece 
the  measure  in  which  it  is  to  be  set.  If  you  have  two  dif- 
ferent column  widths  you  mark  which  measure  is  to  be 
used.  Advertisements  must  be  marked  for  both  width 
and  length  and  your  program  boxes  must  be  marked  the 
same  way. 

If  you  have  done  this  work  properly  you  will  find  all 
of  the  proof  of  the  proper  width.  Take  two  old  pro- 
grams and  tear  them  apart.  Mark  a  large  X  on  the  back 
of  the  sheets  and  arrange  them  so  that  you  have  a  set 
complete,  starting  with  the  front  page  and  ending  with  the 
back.  Make  a  ring  around  the  page  number.  If  you  use 
them,  change  the  date,  number  of  the  issue  and  the  vol- 
ume number  as  well  if  a  new  one  is  to  be  started.  If  you 
use  a  cut  for  the  front  page  in  place  of  type  stuff,  paste 


HOUSE   PROGRAMS  191 

down  the  proof  of  the  new  cut  to  be  used.     Write  the 
name  below.    Print  out  the  name. 

It  is  best  next  to  put  the  advertisements  in  their  places, 
since  they  must  go  in.  If  new  copy  is  supplied,  paste  that 
on.  If  the  old  is  to  remain  and  in  the  same  place  mark 
it  "O.  K."  or  "Stet,"  to  show  that  it  is  all  right.  If  it  is 
old  copy  to  go  in  a  new  position,  paste  a  clipping  from 
another  program  in  the  new  place. 

Next  paste  up  the  program  proper,  look  over  what  you 
have  left,  decide  what  you  want  most  to  use  and  what 
you  can  best  leave  out.  Start  with  the  most  important 
stuff.  Paste  that  up  and  then  paste  in  the  rest.  Wx^rking 
on  actual  sheets,  you  know  just  how  long  the  page  is.  It 
is  better  to  paste  a  couple  of  lines  short  than  a  line  too 
long,  for  leads  can  fill  up  the  holes,  but  you  will  have  to 
take  out  something  if  you  have  too  much  copy.  If  you 
have  written  five  lines  more  than  a  column  and  want  to 
make  an  exact  fit,  see  if  you  cannot  pull  out  a  five-line 
paragraph  without  hurting  the  story.  If  you  cannot,  then 
cut  out  what  you  can  to  make  up  five  lines.  Paste  all  of 
the  proof  down  and  then  mark  the  cuts  in  the  type  where 
you  find  them.  Do  not  try  to  actually  cut  them  out  with 
the  shears.  Use  a  pencil  to  cross  ofif.  If  you  have  cuts, 
paste  in  the  proof  or  mark  the  cut  and  the  space  with  the 
same  marking,  perhaps  ''Cut  A  Page  5"  on  the  cut  and 
merely  "A"  in  the  proper  place  on  page  five.  If  you  have 
a  caption  for  the  cut,  write  this  into  the  margin  and  leave 
room  for  it  in  the  column  as  well  as  a  line  or  two  for 
white  space  about  the  size  of  the  cut  and  not  the  size  of 
the  proof;  which  may  be  different.  Send  these  down  to 
the  printer  and  you  will  receive  "stone  proof,"  which  is 
proof  pulled  as  the  type  lies  on  the  imposing  stone,  or, 
in  other  words,  as  it  is  ready  to  go  to  the  press.  You  can 
still  make  corrections  on  this  proof,  but  it  will  cost  you 
both  money  and  time;  particularly  if  the  corrections  are 
many.  It  is  better  to  let  the  program  go  to  the  press  with 
a  letter  upside  down  than  to  stop  the  press  and  hold  up 
the  job. 

Be  constantly  on  the  lookout  for  good  program  copy. 
Today  with  the  many  photoplay  departments  in  the  Sun- 


192  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

day  papers  you  need  to  be  more  than  ever  alert.  Fight 
shy  of  the  palpably  press  story;  the  story  that  manifestly 
is  a  lie.  If  you  read  that  Miss  Daisy  Dare,  of  the  Deeff 
Film  Company  fell  over  a  hundred  and  fifty- foot  cliff 
and,  though  badly  injured,  "pluckily  insisted  on  finishing 
the  scene,  the  last  one  needed  to  complete  this  magnificent 
three-reel  subject,"  laugh  a  little,  but  do  not  bore  your 
patrons  with  it.  The  press  agent  is  doing  the  best  he  can 
— which  is  not  very  good.  But  if  you  find  in  the  Scien- 
tific American  a  description  of  a  new  camera  that  can  be 
carried  by  the  tourist,  run  it  and  credit  it  to  the  paper  you 
take  it  from. 

Do  a  little  original  writing  and  encourage  your  patrons 
to  contribute.  Tell  in  the  program  that  you  will  give 
tickets  for  anything  you  use.  Make  good.  To  save  an- 
noyance announce  that  no  manuscript  will  be  returned. 
Now  and  then  you'll  find  something  you  can  use  that  will 
be  of  interest  on  account  of  local  authorship.  Name  the 
author.  Write  some  stuff  yourself.  Tell  of  the  value  of 
pictures  and  why  it  pays  to  come  to  the  theatre.  Make 
fans,  and  having  made  them,  encourage  them  in  their  fan- 
dom.  The  best  stuff  seems  to  be  written  by  the  men  in 
the  small  towns.  Just  because  you  think  you  cannot  write 
is  no  reason  why  you  should  not  try.  As  samples  of 
average  program  filler,  these  examples  are  given : 


WHERE  TO   SIT   IN  A  PICTURE 

An  expert  oculist  provides  the  following  rules  for  those  who 
choose   their   own    seats    in    this   theatre: 

Sit  where  you  can  read  script  on  the  screen.  This  is  the  su- 
perlative test  in  moving  pictures.  Typewriting  is  often  more 
difficult  to  read  than  script,  but  its  use  for  some  reason  is  not 
frequent. 

Children  should  sit  so  far  up  front  in  the  theatre  as  to  make 
it  unnecessary  for  them  to  lean  out  into  the  aisle  or  to  assume 
some  other  unusual  attitude  in   order  to  see  the  screen. 

If  you  find  that  your  eyes  tire,  you  will  do  well  to  refrain 
from  looking  at  the  picture  until  the  tired   feeling  passes. 

The  subdued  light  in  this  theatre  will  rest  the  most  tired  eyes, 
but  care  should  be  taken  in  going  into  bright  sunlight  from  the 
theatre.  Permit  the  eyes  to  open  slowjy  as  you  leave.  You  will 
note  that  there  are  several  degrees  of  light  in  the  interior,  but,  of 
course,  this  calculation  to  save  your  eyes  cannot  be  carried  on  in 
the  street.  As  you  walk  toward  the  entrance  on  your  way  out  you 
unconsciously  pass  through  several  varieties  of  light  and  shade. 


HOUSE   PROGRAMS  193 


A  I.ITTLE  TAIiK  ABOUT  OUR  THEATRE 

We  don't  claim  that  we  have  the  best,  but  we  do  claim  that  we 
have  one  among  the  best.  We  get  the  BEST  PICTURES  to  be 
obtained,  IRRESPECTIVE  OF  COST.  We  try  to  get  pictures 
that  will  PLEASE  EVERYBODY,  men,  women  and  children  of 
all  classes,  and  we  usually  succeed.  Correct  effects  are  never 
accidental.  It's  no  accident  that  makes  our  pictures  so  steady, 
clear  and  free  from  eye  strain.  It's  simply  because  we  have  the 
best  operator  to  be  obtained,  and  the  latest  and  most  modern 
machinery  made,  and  have  a  curtain  made  by  ourselves  after 
weeks  of  experimenting,  and  which  we  think  shows  a  better  pic- 
ture than  the  most  expensive  patent  curtain  made.  Then  again 
we  have  one  among  the  best  pianists  in  the  city,  who  knows  how 
to  play  the  pictures;  our  drummer  is  as  good  as  the  best.  We 
have  a  theatre  that  could  not  be  more  sanitary  and  better  ventil- 
ated, kept  cool  at  all  times  with  ten  large  electric  fans.  Our 
projection  machine  is  absolutely  fireproof,  having  an  automatic 
fire  shutter,  thus  making  you  perfectly  safe  from  that  stand- 
point. Now  this  may  sound  like  an  essay  on  the  supremacy  of 
our  theatre  over  all  other  theatres  on  earth,  but  it  isn't  that 
really.  We  talk  a  whole  lot,  but  we  try,  always,  to  back  our 
talk  up  with  actual  deeds.  We  set  a  splendid  standard  several 
years  ago  and  have  mainained  it.  Do  you  recall  who  it  was 
gave  you  the  first  good  picture  you  ever  had  in  this  city?  Who, 
was  it  put  on  the  first  musical  accompaniment  to  the  picture  that 
enhanced  its  value  over  fifty  per  cent.  ?  That  never  spared  pains 
and  expense  to  give  you  the  best?  What's  the  answer?  This 
is  the  "excuse"  our  patrons  have  for  liking  our  show,  and  it 
isn't   such   a   worse   "excuse,"    IS   IT? 

The  exits  are  ample  and  wide  enough  to  empty  the  house  in 
less  than  a  minute  should  fire  danger  threaten.  The  electrical 
apparatus  used  in  the  production  of  the  picture,  and  all  the 
parts  of  the  projection  machine  are  carefully  guarded  and 
arranged  to  reduce  fire  risk  in  this  theatre  to  a  minimum.  The 
entire  operating  room  is  sheet  iron  lined  and  nearly  air  tight, 
making  it  absolutely  fireproof.  The  danger  of  fire  from  the 
projection  machine  is  greatly  overestimated.  The  film  is  of 
celluloid  and  of  course,  inflammable.  The  light  rays,  focused 
upon_  the  film  when  stationary  are  intense  enough  to  set  it  on 
fire  in  about  15  to  20  seconds.  An  automatic  shutter  on  the 
machine,  operated  by  a  centrifugal  governor,  allows  the  light 
to  strike  the  film  only  when  at  full  speed.  When  the  speed  is 
slackened,  the  shutter  drops.  An  accidental  stop  would  never 
cause  a  film  fire.  In  addition  to  this  there  is  another  shutter 
operated  by  hand.  The  machine  used  is  an  Edison  Underwriters 
Model,  the  one  approved  by  the  New  York  Fire  Underwriters  as 
being  entirely  safe  in  every  respect.  It  meets  the  most  rigid 
requirements  of  insurance  inspectors.  If  the  light  is  intention- 
ally directed  upon  the  film,  by  shutter  being  held  up  by  hand, 
the  film,  after  a  short  exposure,  will  burn,  but  only  the  small 
spot  exposed  to  the  light  will  be  destroyed.  The  air-tight  metal 
springs  which  press  the  film  smoothly  while  the  opening  prevents 
the  fire  from  running  along  the  film.  The  films,  while  on  the 
machine,  are  enclosed  in  metal  cases.  When  not  in  use,  they  are 
kept  in  covered  tin  boxes.  The  entire  reel  of  film  is  only  1}4 
inches  in  width,  by  10  inches  in  diameter.  Were  this  to  be 
deliberately  burned  in  this  operating  room,  the  chances  are  no 
one  in  the  theatre  would  know  it.  The  room  is  ventilated  to  the 
extreme  and  the  exit  is  swung  outward  and  self-closing  by  a 
strong  spring.  There  is  not  one  chance  in  a  thousand  of  burn- 
ing a  film  and  if  a  film  were  burned  there  is  no  danger  of 
smoke  or  fire  in  the  theatre. 


194  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

CAN   YOU   BEAT   IT? 

A  young  man  noted  for  foresight  and  common  sense,  and  who 
will  no  doubt  some  day  be  a  Bank  President,  has  solved  the 
problem  of  the  High  Cost  of  Living. 

We  submit  his  figures  and  invoke  your  inspection. 

EXPENSES    FOR    10    EVENINGS    SPENT    IN     MY    ROOM    OBSERVING 
STRICTEST    ECONOMY 

One-Third  Cord  Hard   Split  Wood,  10  nights $1.00 

Two   Gallons   Oil,  "        "      25 

Penny   Paper,  "        "      10 

Total    for    10    nights $1.35 

10   EVENINGS    SPENT   AT   THE    OPERA    HOUSE 

In  which  case  I  use  no  fuel  and  little  light  in  my  room, 
and  get  a  better  and  more  useful  entertainment  than 
the   evening  paper. 

Heat,    Light   and    Amusement,    10    nights $1.00 

Saving    for    10    nights $0.35 

TO-NJGHT  IS  A  GOOD  NIGHT  TO  BEGIN  SAVING  THAT 
35   CENTS 

"DO  YOU  KNOW  WHAT   'FIRST  BUN'   MEANS?" 

If  you  are  not  a  dyed-in-the-wool  photoplay  fan  it  is  probable 
that   you    do   not. 

"First  run"  means  that  a  photoplay  is  being  run  for  the  first 
time.  It  means  more  that  that.  It  means  that  it  comes  first  to 
the  Savoy  and  is  shown  in  its  photographic  perfection  before 
the  careless  operator  in  some  other  house  has  had  a  chance  to 
mar  the  quality  with  scratches,  dirt  or  breaks.  It  means,  taken 
in   connection   with   the   perfect  projection   at  the   theatre 

The  Best   to  Be  Had. 

And  we  show  three  first  runs  every  day  for  five  cents.  It's 
not  the  price  that  makes  the  show'  good.  It's  what  you  get  for 
your  money.  You  cannot  get  better  than  first  run.  It  cannot 
be    done. 

That's  a  bit  long,  but  it  is  a  good  argument,  and  it  is 
not  too  long  for  a  special  edition.  An  advertisement  like 
that  means  something  to  the  man  who  may  never  have 
seen  the  term  "first  run"  before. 

The  theatrical  manager  who  makes  a  dozen  productions  a  year 
is  regarded  as  one  of  the  leaders  of  his  profession.  The  men 
who  make  as  many  as  this  during  any  theatrical  season  may  be 
numbered  on  the  fingers  without  using  the  same  digit  twice,  but 
the  photoplay  producer  may  make  as  many  in  a  month  and  keep 
it  up  twelve  months  a  year.  Each  production  is  as  carefully 
planned  as  the  three-act  dramatic  offering,  is  played  by  actors 
who  are  known  to  the  patrons  of  the  high-priced  theatres,  are 
directed  by  stage  managers  of  national  reputation,  and  yet  the 
bill  at  White's  each  night,  offers  three  of  these  productions,  rep- 
resenting an  outlay  of  anywhere  from  $5,000  to  $25,000  at  one- 
fortieth  of  the  price  these  same  players  could  command  in  the 
"production  houses."  And  there  are  no  "number  two  com- 
panies," in  photoplay,  to  present  wretchedly  inadequate  versions 
of  stale  successes.  There  is  only  one  grade  in  Photoplay — the 
highest — and  the  motion  picture  film  makes  it  possible  to  show 
the  highest  grade  of  acting  for  the  smallest  admission  fee.  Two 
dollar  acting  for  five  centsi  is  what  explains  the  remarkable 
popularity   of  White's. 


METHODS    OF   DISTRIBUTION  195 


CHAPTER    XX. 

METHODS  OF  DISTRIBUTING 

Value  of  mailing  lists — building  up  lists  of  addresses — 
from  telephone  book — from  advertisers — by 
direct  solicitation — keying  distribution. 

Of  all  methods  of  distribution,  the  Postal  Service  is 
the  best,  and  even  where  other  means  of  distributing  are 
generally  employed,  the  Exhibitor  should  compile  and 
maintain  a  special  mailing  list.  This  may  be  large  or 
small  according  to  the  house  and  its  clientele,  but  it  should 
be  complete  and  up  to  date  in  any  event. 

The  city  or  town  directory  will  not  be  sufificient,  nor 
is  it  enough  to  copy  off  the   residential  portion  of  the 

Gel  on  ttae  Free  List 

The  Management  of  the  Royal  will  be  glad  to  mail  you  this 
program  regularly  if  you  will  fill  out  this  blank  and  hand  to  tlie 
doorman   on  leaving. 

Name 

Street  address 

City   or 

Figure  70. — Address  slip. 

Get  on  the  Free  List 

Fill  out  the  Program  Coupon 

and  receive  it 

FREE 

each   week 

Figure  71. — Copy  for  address  slide. 

telephone  book.     Make  this  last  the  basis  of  your  system 
if  you  will,  but  build  up  on  it  and  check  it.     One  of  the 


196  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

best  ways  is  through  a  mailing  list  for  the  program.  If 
you  have  a  house  program  run  a  blank  similar  to  Figure 
70.  If  the  program  is  really  good  and  you  expect  the 
patrons  to  supply  the  postage,  then  you  will  lose  some 
names,  but  if  you  can  mail  this  out,  use  also  the  slide 
shown  in  Figure  71. 

Another  and  perhaps  more  simple  scheme  is  to  ad- 
vertise that  you  will  send  a  postcard  of  some  photo- 
player  Ito  any  person  leaving  their  name  and  address  at 
the  box  office.  This  will  help  to  use  up  the  odds  and  ends 
from  souvenir  nights. 

Appealing  to  the  general  love  for  interfering  with  the 
business  of  others,  offer  free  tickets  for  any  idea  accepted 
by  the  house  looking  to  an  improvement  of  any  part  of 
the  service.  You  will  get  few  good  ideas,  but  many  ad- 
dresses.    Copy  may  be  something  like  this: 

We  want  you  to  help  us  run  the  Kosey.  We  cannot 
think  of  all  the  good  ideas  and  perhaps  you  will  have  one 
that  will  be  of  value  to  us.  The  patrons  know  best  what 
they  want.  Give  us  your  ideas.  If  your  suggestion  can 
be  acted  upon,  we  shall  be  glad  to  mail  you  two  seats. 
Please  write  your  name  and  address  legibly  and  mark 
your  envelope  "suggestion." 

After  you  have  compiled  your  list  get  the  store  keepers 
to  help.  This  will  be  particularly  easy  if  they  advertise, 
and  you  explain  that  you  want  to  be  certain  that  every 
one  of  their  patrons  or  those  whom  they  wish  to  become 
patrons,  will  be  reached.  It  may  even  be  possible  to  reach 
large  stores  if  you  work  in  with  them.  For  example, 
come  out  near  the  holidays  with  a  card  that  reads  as  in 
Figure  72.  Tell  them  that  if  they  will  address  the  en- 
velopes to  their  customers  in  your  section  you'll  do  the 
rest.  If  they  like  the  scheme,  but  are  too  cautious  to 
pass  the  addresses  over  to  you,  let  them  send  them  out 
and  get  the  benefit  of  the  distribution  and  perhaps  you 
can  pick  up  some  of  the  addresses  as  the  people  come  to 
your  house. 

Automatic  addressing  machines  are  now  within  the 
reach  of  almost  any  Exhibitor,  though  the  stated  price 
does  not  include  the  cost  of  the  plates,  which  may  be  a 


METHODS    OF   DISTRIBUTION  197 

cent  or  two  apiece.  If  possible  get  a  machine  that  will 
enable  you  to  make  your  own  stencils.  The  original  cost 
will  be  slightly  greater,  but  the  eventual  saving  in  postage 
and  time  will  be  in  your  favor.  These  stencils  are  kept 
in  drawers  and  if  they  are  filed  in  alphabetical  order  be- 
come the  equivalent  of  a  card  system ;  enabling  the  person 
in  charge  to  avoid  duplications. 

If  the  expense  of  an  addresser  is  too  great,  then  do  the 
work  by  hand  and  use  the  card  system  proper  for  keep- 
ing the  addresses.  Entering  them  in  a  book  or  on  sheets 
of  paper  is  wasteful  of  time  and  opportunity.    The  dead 


Do  your  Christmas  Shopping 

Early 

At  Blank's  Big  Store 

Then 

Visit  the  Unique 

And  get  all  rested  up 


Figure  72. — A  card  to  Christmas  Shoppers. 

wood  cannot  be  removed,  and  presently  the  book  becomes 
so  crossed  up  that  time  is  wasted  in  hunting  for  live  ad- 
dresses. Working  from  cards,  get  the  pen  work  done  by 
someone  who  writes  a  good  hand.  A  scrawled  address 
is  not  a  good  introduction  to  the  person  you  are  greeting 
with  advertising  facts.  Work  from  a  handful  of  cards 
at  a  time,  laying  these  face  up  and  facing  them  down  as 
they  are  copied.  When  the  pack  is  done,  return  to  the 
drawer  and  take  out  others,  keeping  a  block  in  the  drawer 
to  mark  the  place. 

If  you  do  much  work  with  cards  it  might  be  well  to 
order  from  your  post  office  3  by  5  inch  postal  cards  that 
are  especially  made  for  this  purpose.  They  must  be 
ordered  in  thousand  lots,  but  they  are  very  handy,  par- 


198  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

ticularly  when  you  check  up  your  list  as  should  be  done 
every  six  months  or  so.  The  cards  are  printed  up  with 
the  house  address  on  the  face  and  on  the  reverse  the  form 
shown  in  Figure  73.  When  the  cards  are  returned  they 
do  not  require  to  be  recopied  but  are  put  directly  into  the 
file.  The  same  purpose  can  be  attained  by  printing  up 
private  mailing  cards,  but  it  must  be  remembered  that 
some  people  will  soak  the  stamp  off  a  private  mailing 
card,  and  a  majority  of  persons  are  more  greatly  im- 
pressed by  a  government  post  card  than  they  would  be 
by  the  private  form. 

Dear  Patron:  We  are  revising  our  program  mailing  list. 
Sh(»uld  you  desire  to  remain  on  same,  please  fill  in  the  blank 
spaces   below. 

Name 

Street 

City  or 

Figure  73. — Checking  card  for  mailing  list. 

If  you  use  the  mails  much  it  will  be  possible  to  ar- 
range with  your  post  office  to  mail  under  a  license.  This 
enables  you  to  mail  out,  without  stamping,  lots  of  letters 
or  circulars  in  multiples  of  one  hundred,  paying  for  the 
pieces  instead  of  for  the  stamps.  Unless  you  mail  a  thou- 
sand or  more  pieces  a  week  it  will  not  pay  to  use  this 
scheme. 

If  you  can  work  in  with  the  hotel  clerks,  get  the  names 
of  arriving  guests  and  send  programs  to  each.  The  list 
should  be  procured  daily,  or  perhaps  the  clerk  will  ad- 
dress the  envelopes  for  you  and  put  them  into  the  guests' 
boxes.  In  a  resort  town  where  guests  remain  for  a  week 
or  more,  enclose  a  complimentary  ticket,  which  should 
carry  on  its  face  or  reverse  directions  how  to  reach  the 
house  from  each  hotel.  New  arrivals  will  find  their  way 
first  to  your  place  and  will  become  your  steady  patrons. 

Some  Exhibitors  have  special  lists  to  work  for  names. 
They  issue  cards  similar  to  that  shown  in  Figure  74. 
When  the  blanks  are  filled  in  they  are  classified  under 
the  player's  name.    As  soon  as  it  is  known  what  is  com- 


METHODS    OF   DISTRIBUTION  199 

ing  these  lists  are  worked  and  a  postal  is  sent  to  each 
name.  Figure  75  shows  one  of  these  notification  cards 
filled  in,  the  italic  matter  being  that  part  which  is  written 
in.  If  there  is  a  telephone  toll  it  does  not  pay  to  use  the 
telephone,  but  with  unlimited  service  the  telephone  num- 
ber is  called. 


CRESCENT  THEATRE 

Popular  Player's  Request  Card 
Manager: 

Please  advise  me  (at  your  expense),  when  you  are 
to  exhibit  photoplays  featuring 

NAME    OF    PLAYER    HERE 

Name  of  patron 

Address 

Telephone: 

9Cr*  Please  name  ONLY  ONE  player  on  each 
card.     You  may  have  as  many  cards  as  you  wish. 


Figure  74. — Card  for  player  lists. 


CARD   OF  THEATRE   HERE 

It  affords  us  great  pleasure  to  be  able  to 
present  for  your  approval  on  Thursday  and 
Friady,  June  4:th  and  5th 

"The  Heart  of  the  Harem." 
A   two   reel   masterpiece    featuring 

Lucille  Lotts 
And   other   features   of   excellence. 
Pen  (Signature 
Manager. 

Figure  75. — Notification  card>    ^ 


200  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Another  distributing  scheme  is  through  the  business 
houses.  In  the  south  the  laundries  are  a  favorite.  Frank 
Montogmery  has  for  years  supplied  shirt  bands  to  be 
used  instead  of  pins  in  holding  single  shirts  together  after 
they  are  folded.  Other  Exhibitors  have  circulars  slipped 
into  the  bundles,  but  this  idea  is  not  so  good.  People 
will  resent  the  handbill  without  excuse,  but  suppose  that 
you  talk  with  the  laundrymen  into  tightening  buttons  on 
clothing.  Explain  the  effect  on  the  customer.  Then 
supply  them  with  small  tags  provided  with  loops  of 
thread.  One  side  reads:  "This  button  was  put  on  or 
tightened  by  the  Excelsior  Steam  Laundry."  The  other 
side  reads:  "See  the  comedies  at  the  Grand  and  burst 
your  buttons  off  again."  The  joke  takes  the  curse  off 
the  advertising. 

In  the  same  way  the  grocer  can  be  supplied  with  the 
parafin  paper  that  comes  on  the  butter  and  lard,  the 
milkman  with  paper  tops  for  his  milk  bottles  or  the 
butcher  with  tags  reading:  "This  meat  has  been  in- 
spected and  passed  by  the  U.  S.  Government."  The  other 
side  reads:  "The  entertainment  at  the  Grand  has  been 
inspected  and  approved  by  the  Public." 

On  the  other  hand,  the  bill  that  is  thrust  into  a  package 
without  excuse  is  only  one  degree  less  offensive  than  the 
program  slipped  into  the  pages  of  the  newspapers.  If 
you  cannot  afford  to  advertise  in  the  paper,  do  not  seem 
to  be  trying  to  sneak  in.  It  is  like  tagging  a  fraternal 
funeral  on  the  end  of  a  circus  parade  to  save  the  cost  of 
a  band. 

For  house  to  house  distribution  it  is  better  to  lay  out 
short  routes  and  employ  girls.  They  are  more  reliable 
than  boys  and  will  take  more  pride  in  their  work.  On  the 
other  hand,  girls  should  never  be  employed  to  distribute 
matter  that  must  be  handed  the  passerby.  Use  boys  if 
you  cannot  afford  to  hire  men,  but  the  employment  of 
girls  will  cause  criticism. 

Have  regular  distribution  routes  that  the  work  may  be 
done  in  an  orderly  and  systematic  manner.  Get  the  post- 
master to  tell  how  the  carrier  routes  are  laid  out  and 
you'll  have  ^  scherne  that  will  fit  the  geography  of  your 


METHODS   OF   DISTRIBUTION  201 

particular  section.  In  general,  a  good  scheme  is  to  route 
up  one  side  of  the  main  street  and  down  the  other,  but 
each  carrier  covers  the  side  blocks  north  of  the  main 
street  to  the  next  crossing,  taking  a  block  of  the  main 
street  on  the  north  side  then  up  one  side  of  the  side  street 
to  the  next  corner  and  down  the  other  side,  then  a  block 
of  the  main  street  again  and  another  side  street  to  the 
end  of  the  route,  soming  down  the  other  side  of  the 
main  street  from  the  end  of  the  route  without  detours. 

In  routing,  work  much  the  same  as  with  the  billboards. 
Go  as  far  from  the  house  as  you  can  reasonably  hope 
to  interest  trade.  In  a  neighborhood  house  in  the  work 
about  ten  blocks  in  all  directions. 

If  you  want  to  see  just  where  the  interest  lies,  try  a 
key  system.  On  some  advertising  print  a  coupon  good 
for  a  post  card  or  some  other  souvenir  if  presented  at 
the  box  office.  These  may  require  the  name  and  address 
of  the  person  presenting  it,  or  it  may  be  keyed  by  num- 
ber. 

Divide  your  territory  into  sections.  If  you  can  work 
from  a  map  do  so.  If  not,  make  one  or  figure  out  as 
nearly  as  you  can  from  a  rough  sketch.  First  divide 
the  territory  into  four  sections  by  lines  running  north, 
east,  south  and  west.  This  will  give  you  territory  to 
the  north-east,  north-west,  south-east  and  south-west  of 
the  house.  Assign  each  section  a  number.  Suppose 
that  the  northeast  section  is  number  three.  Get  a  rubber 
or  metal  numbering  stamp.  Set  the  hundreds  band  to 
three.  Number  all  coupons  to  go  within  two  or  three 
blocks  of  the  house  301.  All  in  the  next  two  block  zone 
are  30'2,  and  so  on  up  to  the  limit  of  the  territory.  Do 
the  same  with  the  other  major  sections,  using  four  hun- 
dred for  one,  five  hundred  for  the  third  and  six  hun- 
dred for  the  last.  Now  make  out  a  tally  sheet  with  the 
numbers  running  down  the  left  hand  margin;  each  in 
its  proper  order.  Mark  each  coupon  on  this  sheet  and 
when  the  returns  are  all  in  you  will  know  about  what 
proportion  of  business  you  should  draw  from  each  sec- 
tion. This  sounds  rather  involved,  but  if  you  will  study 
it  you  will  find  it  simple  in  the  extreme.    This  key  system 


202  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

can  be  adapted  in  many  ways  to  tabulation  and  the  care- 
ful Exhibitor  will  use  it,  for  it  will  seldom  pay  to  cir- 
cularize a  section  from  which  no  returns  are  received, 
or  else  you  can  fight  the  spots  with  particular  attention 
and  try  to  build  up  business  there. 

Any  two  forms  of  distribution  are  liable  to  duplicate 
to  a  certain  extent.  The  house  program  that  is  offered 
patrons  and  also  mailed  out  may  be  taken  twice.  If  the 
matter  is  costly  this  will  be  something  to  be  watched. 
Announce  that  programs  will  be  mailed  or  will  be  given 
out  only  on  a  certain  day,  in  the  house  or  at  the  box 
office. 

Rural  patrons  should  be  covered  by  mail  where  pos- 
sible, though  one  Exhibitor  in  a  town  where  the  wagons 
and  automobiles  are  parked  in  certain  spots,  has  a  special 
door  knob  which  is  tied  to  the  horn  or  the  dashboard 
and  is  certain  to  be  seen. 

Whatever  the  scheme  of  distribution,  be  certain  that 
it  is  thorough  and  practical.  Check  up  now  and  then  on 
your  distributors.  Go  over  the  route  the  first  time  with 
each  new  carrier.     Do  things  right. 


CHAPTER     XXI. 
FORM  LETTERS 

How   to   prepare — be   brief   and   concise — keeping   in 
contact  with  the  patron — various  forms. 

Much  may  be  done  with  form  letters  by  the  Exhibitor 
who  can  write  convincingly,  but  form  letters  are  a  pecu- 
liarly intimate  form  of  contact  with  the  patron  and  should 
be  most  carefully  handled.  Form  letters  may  be  frankly 
forms,  addressed  to  "Dear  Patron,"  and  done  in  straight 
printing  or  typewriter  type,  with  or  without  silk,  or  they 
may  be  done  in  almost  exact  duplicate  of  a  hand-written 
letter  and  filed  in  with  the  address. 

Unless  the  deception  is  very  nearly  perfect,  it  is  better 


FORM    LETTERS  203 

to  let  it  show  plainly  that  it  is  a  form,  for  some  patrons 
will  resent  the  receipt  of  a  letter  that  suggests  that  they 
are  not  sufficiently  intelligent  to  know  that  it  is  a  fake. 

To  be  effective,  the  personal  letter  must  be  filled  in  on 
the  machine  with  the  same  sort  of  type  and  a  ribbon  full 
inked  with  the  same  sort  of  ink.  Most  duplicating  ma- 
chines using  a  ribbon,  supply  typewriter  ribbons  to  match, 
but  even  with  this  care  must  be  taken  that  the  type- 
writer ribbon  and  that  of  the  duplicator  are  giving  the 
same  impression.  A  letter  done  with  a  new  ribbon  and 
filled  in  with  a  faded  machine  ribbon,  or  vice  versa,  is 
objectionable. 

The  general  form  letter  may  be  on  any  subject  of 
equal  interest  to  all  patrons.  It  may  concern  coming 
films,  house  improvements  or  anything  having  to  do  with 
the  house.  It  is  only  slightly  more  intimate  than  the 
printed  circular,  but  there  is  the  suggestion  of  closer  con- 
tact that  can  be  made  effective. 

The  thing  most  to  be  avoided  in  the  form  letter  is 
overwriting.  No  one  will  read  through  several  hundred 
words.  Do  not  single  space.  Double  space  and  even 
then  try  not  to  use  all  of  a  single  page.  Do  not  use  the 
narrow  "elite"  type  and  think  that  you  are  getting  around 
the  trouble  that  way.  You  are  making  the  letter  less  easy 
to  read,  but  you  are  not  saying  less  because  you  use  less 
space.  Now  and  then  you  can  single  space  for  an  im- 
portant subject,  but  it  is  better  not  to.  Keep  your  letter 
short,  sharp  and  concise.  The  subject  may  interest  you 
to  the  extent  of  many  pages  and  yet  not  appeal  to  the 
patron  with  equal  force.  You  are  vitally  interested. 
The  receiver  is  not  at  all  interested.  The  letter  must 
gain  his  interest. 

Suppose  you  want  to  write  about  a  new  ventilating 
system.  You  may  start  ofif  with  a  lengthy  paragraph  on 
the  dangers  of  dead  air  as  a  culture  ground  for  microbes. 
Another  paragraph  can  descant  on  the  virtues  of  fresh 
air  as  a  disinfectant.  Then  you  can  tell  of  the  old  sys- 
tem you  had  and  contrast  it  with  the  new,  you  can  tell 
about  the  company  putting  it  in  and  the  cost  of  the  ma- 
chine, describe  it  and  give  a  lot  of  statistics.  '  All  this 


204  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

will  interest  you,  but  all  that  interests  the  patron  is  the 
fact  that  the  house  is  not  going  to  smell  as  badly  as  it 
used  to.  Tell  them  that  and  you  have  gained  their  in- 
terest. Tell  more  and  you'll  lose  it  again.  Try  some- 
thing like  this: 

Dear  Patron: 

The  poet  has  written :  "Hark  from  the  tombs  a  musty 
smell."  Maybe  that  isn't  just  it,  but  musty  smell  and 
tombs  go  well  together,  for  musty  air  is  dead  air  and 
dead  air  is  death  dealing.  We  are  not  running  a  ceme- 
tery for  deceased  atmosphere  in  the  Gem  theatre.  Dur- 
ing a  performance  we  constantly  pour  into  the  house  tivo 
and  one-half  times  as  much  fresh  air  as  a  capacity  audi- 
ence can  breathe  and  at  the  same  time  we  are  pulling  out 
the  same  quantity  of  partly  used  air  under  the  system  of 
the  Hail  Columbia  Sanitation  Engineering  Co.,  the  last 
word  in  such  matters.  Think  of  the  perils  of  dead  air 
as  a  depressant  and  disease  breeder.  Then,  when  you 
think  of  pictures,  think  of  the  Gem. 

Yours  for  ozone. 

Pen  signature. 

Manager. 

P.  S. — Perfumed  air  is  embalmed  air.  We  do  not  have 
to  mask  smell  with  odors. 

Of  course,  if  you  do  use  an  atomizer  you  omit  the  post 
script.    A  new  film  may  be  announced  in  this  fashion. 

If  you  have  not  the  time  to  glance  over  the  enclosed 
Herald,  here  are  the  facts  about  "The  Flood  of  Tears" : 
It  is  one  of  the  really  big  subjects  of  recent  release,  done 
from  the  play  that  but  lately  ran  foi  six  months  in  New 
York,  It  is  played  by  the  stars,  Miss  Grannat,  Mr. 
Fothergill  and  four  other  members  of  the  original  cast 
which  presented  the  play  at  a  two  dollar  admission.  In 
the  play  many  interesting  events  had  to  be  described  to 
keep  within  the  three  acts.    These  are  shown  in  the  film. 


FORM  LETTERS  205 

Can  you  imagine  the  treat  ?    Next  Wednesday  and  Thurs- 
day, May  12th  and  13th. 

Because  this  subject  will  appeal  most  strongly  to  our 
best  patrons,  we  are  asking  you  to  advise  us  now  how 
many  seats  you  will  require  and  for  what  performance. 
Half  the  house  will  be  reserved.  How  many  shall  you 
need?  Call  Main  495.  For  this  sumptuous  production 
the  admission  will  be  fifty  cents. 

The  form  letter  has  more  force  used  for  direct  work. 
If  you  have  one  of  the  numerous  films  produced  at  the 
instance  of  the  National  Society  for  the  Study  and  Pre- 
vention of  Tuberculosis,  drop  a  line  to  the  physicians 
about  a  special  matinee.     Say: 

Dear  Doctor : 

You  may  have  noticed  that  we  are  announcing  the  com- 
ing exhibition  of  "The  Ray  of  Hope,"  produced  by  the 
Jimpson  Company,  at  the  instance  of  the  National  Society 
for  the  Study  and  Prevention  of  Tuberculosis.  From 
the  enclosed  description  of  the  story  you  will  see  that  the 
message  is  one  of  hope — and  precaution.  You  know 
how  important  it  is  that  this  message  be  given  all  in  the 
family  of  a  tuberculous  patient.  We  are  planning  a 
special  matinee  for  11  o'clock  Thursday  morning,  Sep- 
tember 12th.  This  is  a  free  exhibition,  li  you  will  pro- 
vide us  with  the  names  and  addresses  of  your  patients 
who  should  see  this  film  and  the  number  of  tickets  to  be 
sent  each,  we  shall  be  glad  to  mail  them — with  your  com- 
pliments if  you  will  send  us  the  cards.  There  will  be  a 
couple  of  other  films  to  round  out  the  program. 

We  believe  that  real  good  can  be  done  in  this  way  and 
will  welcome  your  co-operation  and  suggestions. 

Sinucerely  yours, 

P.  S. — ^We  might  add  that  the  theatre  will  be  cleaned 
with  more  than  usual  thoroughness  before  the  regular 
performance  as  a  precaution. 

Always  put  a  "kicker"  in  the  post  script.  It  is  to  the 
type  written  letter  what  the  big  display  faces  are  to  the 
set  advertisement. 


206  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Here  is  a  good  letter  to  run  off  just  after  the  schools 
open  for  the  season.     Send  to  all  teachers  near  you. 
Dear  Madam : 

During  the  coming  school  season  the  management  of 
the  Gem  theatre  wishes  to  demonstrate  as  fully  as  pos- 
sible the  educational  advantages  of  the  motion  pictures. 
Frankly,  we  are  mainly  interested  in  the  advertising 
value  of  the  educational  picture,  but  for  that  very  reason 
we  will  work  along  the  lines  least  suggestive  of  com- 
mercial interest.  We  can  obtain,  with  brief  delay,  pic- 
tures of  all  lands,  their  manners  and  customs,  the  physi- 
cal characteristics  of  the  country  and  its  industries.  In 
literature,  we  can  obtain  visualizations  of  the  standard 
plays  and  fiction  stories.  There  are  also  interesting  films 
on  many  other  subjects.  We  can  obtain  these  as  you 
desire  if  you  will  indicate  your  wants  as  far  in  advance 
as  possible,  and  we  will  appreciate  your  co-operation. 

For  a  mere  direct  appeal  on  a  single  subject  this  is 
good.  The  original  was  addressed  to  the  principal  of 
each  school. 

You  and  your  teachers  are  cordially  invited  to  attend 
a  matinee  performance  at  the  Central  either  Saturday 
or  Sunday,  October  3rd  and  4th.  Tickets  are  enclosed. 
If  more  are  needed  a  call  to  East  284  will  bring  them. 

Each  Saturday  and  Sunday  we  aim  to  run  at  least  one 
reel  of  some  subject  with  direct  or  indirect  educational 
value.  On  these  days  mentioned  above  the  bill  will  in- 
clude not  only  a  series  of  studies  of  bird  life  but  a  two- 
reel  visualization  of  Dickens'  "The  Old  Curiosity  Shop," 
so  attractively  presented  as  to  increase  among  the 
younger  a  desire  to  read  the  better  class  of  literature. 

We  want  to  show  you  and  your  teachers  what  we  show 
a  majority  of  your  pupils,  who  are  our  patrons. 

Propaganda  stories  may  be  brought  direct  to  the  ones 
most  vitally  interested.     A  New  Orleans  Exhibitor  sent 


FORM   LETTERS  207 

this  out  in  connection   with  an  Edison   subject  on  the 
dangers  of  the  street: 

Dear  Madam: 

Perhaps  you  are  the  mother  of  a  happy  family.  At 
least  you  are  acquainted  with  mothers.  On  next  Thurs- 
day the  Vendome  Theatre  will  run  a  special  picture  on 
the  dangers  that  beset  children  in  the  streets.  It  will  be 
well  worth  your  study.  Will  you  not  make  a  special 
effort  to  see  it,  either  at  the  matinee  at  3:10'  or  4:15  or 
in  the  evening  at  7:30',  8:40  or  10:10.  These  are  the 
times  this  film  will  be  shown. 

Another  propaganda  story  was  responsible  for  a  letter 
addressed  to  the  ministers  that  read : 

We  want  you  to  see  the  class  of  pictures  we  are  show- 
ing to  the  people  of  Pocatello,  hence  we  take  this  oppor- 
tunity of  inviting  you  to  witness  the  Edison  Educational 
and  Dramatic  subject  entitled  "Children  Who  Labor," 
which  we  will  run  today  and  tomorrow. 

This  picture  is  produced  in  co-operation  with  the  Na- 
tional Association  for  the  Prevention  of  Child  Labor 
and  we  think  a  production  like  it  deserves  the  support  of 
every  man  and  woman  in  the  country. 

We  are  enclosing  two  complimentary  tickets,  which 
we  hope  you  will  find  time  to  use  at  either  the  daily 
Matinee  or  Night  Performance. 

Form  letters  are  sometimes  employed  to  learn  the 
patrons'  tastes.  A  post  card  similar  to  Figure  76  is  sent 
to  the  mailing  list  with  a  note  that  reads : 

We  are  a  little  uncertain  as  to  the  exact  tastes  of  our 
patrons.  Will  you  not  help  us  to  serve  you  better  by 
checking  on  the  enclosed  list  your  preferences  ? 

Much  of  this  work  should  be  done  through  special  lists 
of  trades  and  professions.  List  all  physicians  and  query 
them  on  medical  stories,  or  matters  of  interest  to  their 
patients.     List  trades   by  branches  and  work   for   rail- 


208  PICTURE  THEATRE  ADVERTISING 

road  business  on  railroad  stories,  structural  workers 
where  such  an  artisan  is  a  hero  in  a  play,  and  so  on 
Get  lists  of  the  fraternal  orders.  Much  was  done  with 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  with  Damon  and  Pythias  and 
with  the  Knights  of  Columbus  on  "The  Coming  of  Co- 
lumbus." Many  bodies  will  not  give  out  addresses,  but 
it  may  be  possible  to  get  the  Secretary  to  send  out  a  list, 
paying  him  for  the  trouble,  if  the  subject  is  one  that 
will  interest  the  members. 


I   prefer: 

Society  dramas  War  dramas  Indian  dramas 

Civil    War    dramas  Sensational  dramas  Adventure  dramas 

Farce    comedies  Polite   comedies  Comedy-dramas 

I    like    best: 

One-reel  plays 

Big  features  at  advanced  prices 

Lesser  features  at  regular  prices 

My   favorite   makers   are* 

Figure  76. — Preference  post  card. 


The  form  letter  is  not  to  be  regarded  as  taking  the 
place  of  any  other  advertising.  At  best  it  can  only  sup- 
plement the  general  appeal  in  certain  directions.  Unless 
the  form  letter  will  warrant  the  expense  of  mailing  out 
under  two  cent  stamps,  it  should  not  be  used.  Where 
this  expense  is  warranted  the  matter  should  be  most 
carefully  prepared.  You  have  not  the  advantage  of  dis- 
play type.  You  may  not  underscore  more  than  one  or 
two  sentences  nor  may  you  use  all  capitals  for  many 
words.  You  must  put  the  punch  in  the  talk  and  not  the 
type. 

Books  on  letter  writing  will  not  help  you  much.  They 
do  not  teach  this  sort  of  forceful  phrasing.  It  is  letter 
writing  and  nothing  but  that,  but  you  must  first  have  a 
message  and  then  tell  it  in  the  fewest  number  of  words. 
The  more  you  study  and  practise  the  belter  you  will 
become. 


STREET   ADVERTISING  209 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

STREET  ADVERTISING 

The  float — the  lion  wagon — bicycle  trailers — animal 
impersonators — "Rubeing  the  streets" — foot 
prints — giant  rubber  stamps. 

The  sandwich  man  and  the  sign  on  a  wagon  go  back 
to  the  point  "where  the  memory  of  man  runneth  not  to 
the  contrary,"  but  these  are  but  the  elementary  forms  of 
street  work.  The  sandwich  man  is  almost  in  the  discard, 
but  the  wagon  sign,  or  float,  is  still  useful.  The  float  is 
merely  a  flat  dray  or  cart  on  which  is  built  a  frame 
structure  large  enough  to  hold  a  twenty-eight  sheet  bill. 
There  is  one  for  each  side  of  the  cart,  running  length- 
wise of  the  vehicle.  Generally  the  framework  meets  at 
the  top,  the  sides  being  angled,  though  sometimes  the 
sides  are  upright,  being  held  apart  by  braces  at  the  top. 

Where  the  wagon  is  owned  by  the  Exhibitor  and  this 
form  of  advertisment  is  much  used,  it  is  best  to  have 
a  permanent  framework  made  that  can  be  lifted  on  and 
off  quickly.  Sockets  should  be  provided  on  the  sides 
of  the  wagon  for  the  supports  and  the  framework,  which 
is  covered  with  muslin  or  canvas,  should  be  well  painted 
to  prevent  warping.  It  should  be  made  in  two  parts; 
each  side  a  part,  which  may  be  lashed  together  quickly. 
It  is  merely  a  matter  of  taking  a  billboard  and  parading 
it  through  the  streets  instead  of  keeping  it  in  a  fixed 
location. 

The  next  step  higher  is  to  hang  a  crowbar  or  other 
iron  rod  inside,  with  a  small  boy  and  a  hammer.  Struck 
at  frequent  intervals  it  gives  out  an  attracting  if  not  an 
attractive  sound.  A  fifer  and  drums  is  the  next  advance, 
and  a  four  or  five-piece  band  the  last  word  in  this  direc- 
tion. 


210  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Improving  on  this  idea,  S.  A.  Arnold  invented  the  lion 
cage.  He  had  a  subject  featuring  lions.  Borrowing 
some  iron  bars  from  the  blacksmith  (round  sticks  painted 
black  will  do  as  well),  he  built  a  menagerie  cage,  using 
the  bills  to  hide  the  interior.  Inside  was  a  small  boy 
with  a  lion  roar.  The  best  grade  of  lion  vocalism  is  a 
light  tin  pail  with  a  small  hole  in  the  bottom  through 
which  a  string  or  gut  is  passed  and  knotted.  The  bail 
of  the  pail  is  placed  under  the  instep  and  the  string 
drawn  through  a  rosined  cloth  or  a  leather  glove  pow- 
dered with  the  same  substance.  The  noise,  with  a  little 
practise,  will  sound  like  the  roar  of  a  wild  beast  to  un- ' 
trained  ears,  and  there  are  few  ears  trained  to  these 
sounds.  The  suggested  idea  is  that  the  lion  used  in  the 
film  is  inside,  but  the  main  point  is  that  the  noise  and 
the  cleverness  of  the  idea  combine  to  get  the  attention. 
Even  without  the  iron  bars,  the  idea  of  the  roar  in  com- 
bination with  an  animal  film  is  good,  but  the  cage  idea 
heightens  the  effect  so  greatly  that  it  is  worth  while  to 
take  a  little  trouble. 

In  the  same  way,  effective  use  can  be  made  of  animal 
dresses.  They  may  be  had  of  city  costumers.  Build  a 
den  in  a  corner  of  the  lobby  and  let  the  "lion"  pace  up 
and  down  or  sit  on  his  haunches,  and  tell  the  crowd  what 
a  good  picture  "The  Lion's  Prey"  is.  This  can  be 
worked  for  a  couple  of  days  in  advance.  On  the  day 
of  showing  let  the  lion  be  led  through  the  streets  by  a 
trainer,  the  latter  armed  to  the  teeth.  The  lion  should 
still  chant  the  praises  of  the  film.  Where  it  is  not  done 
objectionably,  even  stores  and  offices  may  be  invaded. 
Not  only  lion  masks  but  those  for  tigers,  leopards,  other 
animals  and  birds  may  be  had.  Find  out  what  is  to  be 
had  and  where  it  may  be  obtained  and  keep  the  list 
against  the  time  of  need.  If  you  make  a  lobby  den  have 
the  bars,  or  some  of  them,  of  old  rubber  garden  hose, 
that  the  lion  may  push  out  unexpectedly  and  take  a  stroll 
when  he  is  tired  of  his  cramped  quarters.  Get  a  boy 
with  some  sense  of  humor  and  a  good  voice.  Write  him 
his  "spiel"  that  he  may  speak  effectively. 

Getting  back  to  the  cage  idea,  get  two  or  three  lions 


STREET   ADVERTISING  211 

and  send  them  out  in  the  cage,  with  a  pretty  girl  riding 
with  them  in  fancy  costume  as  their  trainer.  Halt  the 
wagon  at  the  curb  now  and  then  to  let  the  lions  tell  about 
the  picture,  but  do  not  obstruct  traffic  too  much. 

Replacing  the  wagon,  frameworks  may  be  built  for 
a  bicycle  or  motorcycle.  In  its  simplest  form  this  is 
merely  a  pair  of  light  poles  ten  or  twelve  feet  long, 
fastened  at  both  ends  and  stretched  apart  in  the  middle 
by  cross  pieces.  Banners  or  one-sheets  pasted  on  muslin, 
hang  from  these.  The  framework  is  lifted  over  the  head 
of  the  rider  and  hangs  from  suspenders,  the  hanger  for 
the  left  side  going  over  the  right  shoulder  and  vice  versa. 

An  improvement  is  a  trailer ;  a  light  quarter-inch  pipe 
frame  mounted  on  the  axle  of  an  old  buggy  or  even  a 
velocipede.  The  wheels  should  be  as  far  apart  as  pos- 
sible to  give  a  stable  base  and  the  frame  should  have  just 
a  little  more  weight  forward  than  to  the  rear.  This  is 
lashed  to  the  back  of  a  bicycle  or  motorcycle  and  the 
principal  streets  can  be  covered  several  times  where  a 
wagon  would  be  going  around  once. 

In  all  of  this  work  the  flat  side  of  the  sign  should  be 
at  right  angles  to  the  line  of  travel,  to  cut  down  wind 
resistance.  It  is  fortunate  that  the  same  angle  permits 
the  signs  to  be  read  more  easily. 

Working  along  the  same  lines,  a  pony  cart  filled  with 
pretty  children  and  with  signs  on  sides  and  back  will 
work,  as  will  any  animal  vehicle,  an  ox  cart,  prairie 
schooner  or  oddity.  F.  D.  Stanton  invented  the  "Auto- 
gobile,"  an  ancient  buggy  with  a  crude  steering  wheel 
and  with  the  horse  in  shafts  behind  the  outfit. 

What  is  technicallv  termed  Rubeing  the  streets  is  ef- 
fective, if  not  overdone.  A  man  may  be  made  up  as 
some  well  known  comedian  in  a  distinctive  make  up 
and  paraded  through  the  streets  with  a  sign  "At  the 
Liberty,  tonisfht"  on  his  back,  or  the  idea  may  be  worked 
more  elaborately.  Almost  every  town  has  one  or  more 
half-grown  bovs  who  want  to  be  picture  actors  and  who 
think  thev  would  be  just  as  good  as  the  reigninsf  favorite 
were  they  only  given  a  chance.  Oflfer  a  prize  of  five  dol- 
lars, split  three  ways,  for  the  best  impersonation  of  the 


212  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

comedian.  Have  them  meet  in  the  lobby  about  half  an 
hour  before  the  evening  show.  Parade  them  through  the 
streets  and  into  the  house.  Let  them  witness  the  show 
and  then  let  the  audience  decide  the  prizes  by  the  vote 
of  applause.  The  one  who  gets  the  most  applause  gets 
the  largest  prize.  For  a  small  investment  you  can  get 
a  big  advertisement  and  the  boys  will  have  a  lot  of  fun. 

A  fake  fight  is  an  old  and  tried  device.  Two  men  get 
into  a  heated  argument  on  a  crowded  thoroughfare. 
Words  (which  should  be  carefully  edited)  promise  to 
turn  to  blows.  The  crowd  gathers.  The  ultimatum 
comes.  The  warriors  take  off  their  coats  and  display  to 
the  crowd  the  backs  of  their  waistcoats  lettered  "If  you 
want  to  see  a  real  fight,  see  'Brother  Against  Brother'  at 
the  Lyceum  tonight."  As  the  crowd  drifts  away,  laugh- 
ing, the  coats  are  resumed  and  the  comedy  is  repeated 
as  soon  as  a  safe  distance  is  reached.  The  original  of 
the  street  fight  happened  years  ago  when  the  late  Will 
McConnell,  in  advance  of  a  dramatic  attraction,  had  a 
terrific  fight  with  a  dummy  on  the  roof  of  a  tall  Chicago 
building.  Finally  the  victim  was  thrown  to  the  street 
and  a  huge  sign  unrolled  telling  about  the  show. 

This  sort  of  thing  is  rather  too  risky.  Someone  may 
be  ihurt  by  the  dummy  or  damage  suits  may  be  brought — 
and  collected — for  shock.  A  dummy  run  down  by  an 
auto  may  be  a  good  advertisement,  but  not  if  a  verdict 
for  five  thousand  is  had  by  some  nervous  woman  or  pros- 
pective mother.  Look  beyond  the  immediate  effect  of 
any  stunt.    See  if  the  aftermath  will  be  all  for  good. 

Adapting  an  idea  used  by  Barnum,  send  a  man  out 
onto  the  business  streets  with  an  armful  of  bricks  and  a 
pocket  .filled  with  cards.  Let  him  put  down  a  card  and 
cover  it  with  a  brick,  then  go  on  half  a  block  and  repeat 
the  performance.  When  he  has  used  up  all  the  bricks 
but  one  let  him  go  back  and  put  that  brick  in  place  of  the 
one  first  put  down.  This  brick  is  carried  on  to  the  next 
station,  and  so  on.  Each  time  the  space  should  be 
brushed  off  with  a  whisk  broom.  The  cards  are  printed 
up  with  the  announcement  of  the  day's  attraction  and  a 


STREET   ADVERTISING  213 

line  begs  the   reader  to  "Please  replace  this   card  and 
catch  someone  else." 

Many  persons  will  read  the  card,  which  shows  under 
the  edges  of  the  brick.  It  sounds  like  a  foolish  stunt,  but 
it  makes  for  advertisement. 

Footprints  leading  to  the  theatre  is  an  idea  often  used. 
Sometimes  the  footprint  is  painted  on  the  walk,  but 
generally  it  is  cut  out  of  paper,  normal  or  enormous  size. 
The  toes  should  always  point  in  the  direction  of  the 
house  and  the  prints  be  close  enough  together  to  be  fol- 
lowed. If  used  close  to  the  house,  merely  forms  of  un- 
printed  paper  may  be  used.  Painted  signs  should  be  in 
water  color  and  not  in  oils.  It  is  easier  to  let  the  kalso- 
mine  wash  off  or  be  worn  off  than  to  go  around  with 
some  turpentine  and  a  policeman.  Some  stores  use 
bronze  footprints  set  into  the  concrete  sidewalks  as  a 
permanent  advertisement,  and  this  can  be  used  by  picture 
theatres  as  well. 

Stamps  may  be  made  for  footprints  or  other  sidewalk 
advertising  very  simply,  if  the  plan  suggested  by  Harry 
De  Subers  is  followed,  using  printer's  roller  composition 
instead  of  rubber. 

Procure  a  sheet  of  glass  of  the  size  the  finished  sign 
is  to  be ;  then  make  a  frame  of  laths  or  light  wood  one- 
half  inch  high  which  fits  exactly  around  the  sheet  of 
glass. 

Place  the  glass  on  a  flat  surface  and  cover  it  to  the 
thickness  of  one-fourth  inch  with  putty,  smoothing  it 
down  until  it  is  perfectly  level  all  over  the  plate.  Then 
with  a  small,  sharp-pointed  knife  cut  out  the  letters  which 
you  wish  to  appear  on  the  sign,  cutting  entirely  through 
the  putty  and  exposing  the  glass.  If  the  glass  is  wet  with 
clean  water  before  the  putty  is  placed  on  it,  the  letters 
will  be  easy  to  remove  after  cutting  out. 

Hiaving  thus  cut  out  the  sign  in  the  putty,  place  the 
frame  of  lath  around  the  glass  and  fill  level  with  printer's 
roller  composition,  made  as  follows : 

Melt  three  pounds  common  brown  sugar  and  eight 
pounds  glue  together,  stirring  constantly.  Then  add  one- 
half  pint  of  glycerine  and  stir  well.    The  glue  is  softened 


214  PICTURE   THEATRE    ADVERTISING 

before  melting  by  soaking  in  water,  using  about  one-balf 
pint  to  the  pound  of  glue.  After  the  glue  is  softened, 
place  on  the  fire ;  stir  until  melted ;  then  add  the  sugar, 
and,  when  this  is  dissolved  add  the  glycerine. 

Let  the  composition  remain  on  the  mold  for  from  10 
to  24  hours,  or  until  it  sets.  Then  remove,  being  careful 
not  to  tear  it  in  the  process.  You  will  have  what 
resembles  a  mammoth  rubber  stamp,  and  something 
which  will  answer  the  same  purposes,  except  that  it  will 
not  last  as  long. 

Now  make  a  roller  by  cutting  a  round  stick  of  the 
proper  diameter  that  the  stamp  will  exactly  cover  it  to 
the  proper  length,  and  fasten  the  stamp  around  it  with 
glue.  Drive  a  nail  in  the  center  of  each  end,  and  fit  a 
stifif  wire  handle,  and  the  stamp  is  ready  for  use. 

In  using,  either  printer's  ink  or  some  similar  compo- 
sition is  distributed  smoothly  on  a  slate  or  piece  of  glass, 
the  roller  is  passed  over  it  until  well  covered  with  the 
mixture,  and  then  rolled  once  over  the  surface  where  the 
sign  is  to  appear.  It  will  print  on  almost  any  surface, 
such  as  fence,  cement  walks,  walls,  side  of  buildings,  or 
practically  anywhere  that  space  large  enough  for  a  sign 
can  be  found.    If  done  in  oil,  they  will  last  indefinitely. 

By  the  use  of  this  simple  process  a  boy  can  put  up 
several  hundred  sign  ads  In  a  day. 

Live  animals  make  good  attractors,  and  sheep,  pigs, 
geese  and  even  chickens  may  be  worked.  "The  Goose 
Girl,"  for  instance,  may  be  promoted  by  a  pretty  girl  in 
costume,  driving  her  charges  through  the  street  by  rib- 
bons, each  goose  wearing  a  blanket  with  the  name  of  the 
picture  and  the  house.  In  the  same  way  Little  Bo  Peep 
may  herd  her  sheep.  Put  a  pair  of  overalls  on  a  horse's 
front  legs  and  drive  him  through  the  streets,  the  over- 
alls and  a  blanket  being  lettered.  A  straw  hat  helps  to 
make  the  costume  complete. 

Around  Christmas  not  many  reindeer  are  available, 
but  paper  horns  can  be  put  on  donkevs  or  carefully 
matched  branches  may  be  fastened  to  the  head  stalls. 
Two  mules,  driven  tandem,  will  serve  as  well  as  a  four- 
in-hand. 


STREET   ADVERTISING  215 

Dressing  men  as  children  or  children  as  men,  is  ef- 
fective. A  two-hundred-pound  "child"  toddling  down 
the  street  will  attract  attention.  His  pinafore  is  filled 
wity  toy  blocks,  proportioned  to  his  size.  Now  and  then 
he  stops  to  play  with  his  toys  and  arranges  his  blocks 
so  that  the  last  half  dozen,  quickly  put  into  place,  will 
spell  out  the  theatre  and  attraction.  A  little  experiment- 
ing will  tell  which  are  the  most  essential  letters.  These 
may  be  painted  light  blue  while  the  other  blocks  are 
green,  yellow  and  red.  The  blue  blocks  are  held  back 
to  the  last.  If  a  three-foot  policeman  comes  along  to 
chase  the  six-foot  child  on  to  the  next  location,  the  effect 
is  better  yet. 

To  give  life  to  the  sandwich  sign  it  should  be  carried 
upside  down.  The  letters  should  be  plain  enough  to  be 
read  in  that  manner.  If  anyone  calls  attention  to  the 
mistake  the  sign  is  whirled  into  its  proper  place  and  the 
trap  is  reset.  The  sign  rests  on  a  false  frame,  being  held 
in  place  by  a  bolt  in  the  centre,  enabling  it  to  be  turned 
around.  There  will  be  attention  at  all  times  and  a  laugh 
when  the  correction  is  made. 

An  awkward  countryman  having  trouble  with  a  huge 
umbrella  will  attract  attention  until  he  suddenly  opens 
it  to  display  a  sign  painted  on,  or  a  well-dressed  couple 
may  halt  some  passer-by  in  the  crowd,  the  man  asking 
the  location  of  the  theatre  in  a  clear  voice  and  adding 
that  he  understands  that  there  is  a  particularly  good  bill 
there  for  the  day. 

The  town  crier  has  passed  but  he  may  be  revived.  He 
is  provided  with  a  bell  which  he  rings  every  little  while 
until  the  crowd  is  gathered.  Then  he  announces  a  bit 
of  news  and  tells  about  the  theatre. 

Local  improvements  that  a  city  cannot  afford  are  some- 
times available  to  the  theatre.  One  town  felt  that  it 
could  not  afford  to  provide  receptacles  for  waste.  The 
theatre  supplied  a  dozen  in  return  for  a  small  advertise- 
ment lettered  on  each  that  was  worth  many  times  the 
cost  each  week  in  addition  to  the  advertisement  that 
came  through  the  appreciation  of  public  spirit. 

If  you  can  get  a  sign  painter  who  can  do  really  artistic 


216  PICTURE  THEATRE  ADVERTISING 

work,  let  him  spend  a  litttle  time  in  the  early  summer 
painting  over  bar  and  drug  store  mirrors.  Since  the 
painting  is  supposed  to  be  more  or  less  lasting,  use  some 
serial  rather  than  a  single  day  attraction.  The  best  way 
to  work  the  idea  is  to  invent  some  soft  drink  and  a  mixed 
drink  that  may  be  dispensed.  These  are  named  after 
the  serial.  For  the  cocktail  any  fruit  liquer  added  to  a 
light  martini  will  do.  The  fountain  drink  may  be  almost 
anything. 

In  spite  of  its  antiquity  the  "Raffles"  scheme  seems  to 
be  holding  its  own.  Raffles  is  supposed  to  be  on  the 
streets  each  day  during  an  announced  period.  Anyone 
recognizing  him  and  demanding  a  prize  in  some  such  set 
form  as  "You  are  Raffles  of  the  Glory  Theatre.  I  de- 
mand one  hundred  dollars,"  is  given  that  sum.  Where 
the  prize  is  small  a  chance  is  taken  on  the  Raffles  being 
discovered,  but  where  the  sum  is  large  it  is  more  usual  to 
send  someone  else  out  in  his  stead.  This  person  notes 
happenings  and  records  them  as  happening  to  Raffles, 
though,  of  course,  he  is  not  connected  with  the  scheme, 
since  his  personality  does  not  in  the  least  conform  to  the 
published  description  of  the  person  sought. 

Of  course  Raffles  is  supposed  to  visit  the  theatre  each 
day.  This  is  the  only  place  he  does  visit  regularly.  To 
avoid  a  crowd  around  the  entrance  waiting  for  him  to 
come,  it  is  announced  that  he  will  be  admitted  to  the 
house  secretly  and  will  not  enter  or  leave  through  the 
front.  This  will  bring  the  crowd  inside  instead  of  keep- 
ing them  in  the  lobby,  where  they  will  not  purchase 
tickets.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  work  the  scheme  with  a 
daily  paper,  where  possible,  in  order  to  spread  as 
widely  as  possible  the  daily  story  of  his  exploits.  At  the 
proper  time  he  is  sent  on  the  street,  recognized,  and  the 
money  turned  over.  Too  often  the  money  is  paid  to 
someone  who  gives  It  back.  It  is  better  to  announce  a 
smaller  prize  and  pay  it  to  an  outsider. 

Sometimes  a  "Miss  Raffles"  is  used,  but  generally  with 
disastrous  results,  for  this  is  a  license  to  every  young 
loafer  to  address  any  woman  he  thinks  may  respond  to 
his  flirtatious  advances. 


GETTING   NEW    BUSINESS  217 

Like  the  above,  the  buried  money  scheme  originated  in 
England.  The  buried  money  scheme  in  its  original  form 
is  a  story  in  which  locations  are  described.  In  these 
locations  tokens  worth  five  dollars  or  more  are  hidden. 
Adapting  the  idea  to  the  picture,  and  keeping  clear  of 
the  lottery  law,  advertise  the  locations  in  the  daily  ad- 
vertisement. They  should  be  places  that  do  not  require 
digging,  such  as  the  corner  of  a  certain  street  car,  on  the 
pedestal  of  a  statue,  not  definitely  specified,  and  so  on. 
The  statue  might  be  one  more  generally  regarded  as  a 
fountain  and  the  street  car  one  in  the  barn. 

The  idea  of  all  of  these  schemes  is  to  make  talk  rather 
than  to  reach  the  particular  person  approached.  Get  the 
theatre  so  thoroughly  talked  about  that  one  thinks  of  the 
theatre  when  pictures  are  thought  of.  Let  someone  tell 
someone  else  of  that  clever  stunt  he  saw  and  several 
persons  are  reached  and  the  belief  inculcated  that  the 
theatre  is  up  to  date  in  all  its  methods,  which  is  the  best 
advertisement  a  house  can  have. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

GETTING  MATINEE  BUSINESS 

Getting  them  coining — special  attractions — free  tick- 
ets vs.  premium  tickets — working  with  merchants. 

Matinee  business  is  at  once  the  joy  and  despair  of 
the  Exhibitor;  a  joy  if  he  can  make  the  business,  and 
a  despair  if  he  cannot.  Matinee  business  should  be 
at  least  eighty  per  cent,  profit.  The  film  rental  is 
charged  by  the  day,  house  rent  has  been  paid,  paper 
and  advertising  are  covered.  There  are  only  the  house 
employees  and  the  current  bills  to  be  paid. 


218  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

In  many  sections  the  matinee  habit  is  still  one  to  be 
acquired.  People  must  be  educated  to  the  idea.  In 
the  chapters  following  many  schemes  are  suggested 
that  may  be  adapted  to  promoting  the  matinee  habit, 
but  this  section  treats  of  the  schemes  peculiarly  ap- 
plicable to  matinee  work. 

Perhaps  the  best  scheme  for  building  matinee  busi- 
ness is  to  get  patrons  in  the  habit  of  coming.  Get 
them  coming  and  they  will  keep  on  coming  if  the  show 
is  right,  but  too  often  visiting  the  matinees  onl}^  serves 
to  drive  the  patrons  still  further  away  from  the  idea. 
The  subjects  are  run  through  at  top  speed;  the  three- 
reel  taking  half  an  hour  or  even  less,  the  music  is 
slovenly,  the  house  people  are  inattentive,  fans  are  not 
run  and  there  is  a  general  air  of  indifference  that  com- 
pletes the  evil  commenced  by  bad  projection. 

SPECIAL  NOTICE 

In  addition  to  the  regular  program,  which  is  shown  twice  each 
evening,  starting  at  7:30  and  9,  there  will  be  two  additional  reels 
shown  in  the  afternoon  and  ONLY  in  the  afternoon.  They  will 
not  be  shown  at  the  evening  performances.  We  want  to  make 
the  matinees  especially  attractive  to  the  ladies  and  we  offer  these 
extra   reels,   with    our  compliments,   as  an   inducement  to  attend. 

Figure  77. — Matinee  notice. 


The  first  thing,  therefore,  is  to  widely  and  fully 
establish  the  fact  that  the  shows  offered  in  the  after- 
noon are  precisely  the  same  as  those  given  in  the 
evening.  Advertise  that  fact  in  your  program,  in  your 
newspaper  work,  in  front  of  the  house,  on  the  screen 
and  by  special  cards. 

Then  make  gooff 

Hold  the  watch  on  your  operator.  If  he  tries  to  run 
off  the  reels  at  eight-minute  intervals,  warn  him.  If 
he  persists,  fire  him  and  get  one  with  some  pride  in 
his  work.  Make  your  house  people  understand  that 
they  must  give  as  much  attention  to  their  work  in 
the  afternoon  as  in  the  evening.  Look  after  the  music. 
Insist  that  everything  be  done  exactly  right. 


GETTING   NEW    BUSINESS  219- 

Some  exhibitors  go  even  further.  They  add  to  the 
show  for  the  matinees  giving  one  or  two  reels  more 
than  they  do  at  night.  There  is  more  time,  because 
it  is  not  possible  to  get  more  than  part  of  one  house, 
and  a  couple  of  commercials  cost  but  little.  But  have 
it  clearly  understood  that  these  reels  are  shown  only 
in  the  afternoon.  Run  something  like  the  notice  in 
Figure  77  that  there  may  be  no  error. 

A  business  builder  that  bears  none  of  the  earmarks 
of  forcing  business  is  the  coupon  given  in  the  evening 
good  for  a  matinee  admission  the  next  day.  Generally 
they  are  given  out  to  all  men  but  sometimes  only  to 
men  entering  without  ladies.  The  ticket  reads  as 
shown  in  Figure  78.  It  may  be  enclosed  in  an  en- 
velope, if  desired,  but  this  is  not  really  necessary. 


Give  this  to  "Her" 

We  want  the  ladies  to  know  that  our  matinee  performances 
are  just  as  complete  in  every  way,  as  the  evening  shows.  This 
ticket  will  admit  two  ladies   or  one  lady  and  a  child 

If  Presented  Before  2.30 

(Room  for  date  stamp  here) 

Not  good  for  two  children  unaccompanied 

Figure  78. — Matinee  ticket. 


The  ticket  should  be  dated  with  a  large  rubber 
stamp  for  the  day  following  the  performance  at  which 
it  is  presented,  except  that  the  Friday  and  Saturday 
evening  tickets  should  be  dated  for  Monday  instead 
of  Saturday  or  Sunday.  If  the  house  opens  early  the 
limiting  hour  should  be  changed  to  one  o'clock  or  half 
past  one.  If  they  are  enveloped  and  marked  "For 
Men  Only,"  they  will  attract  more  attention. 

In  a  suburban  house  it  is  possible  to  work  with 
the  merchants.  Select  one  store  in  each  line.  Prepare 
a  joint  advertisement.     Use  one  side  to  frame  your 


220  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

own  announcement  and  on  the  other  reproduce  Figure 
79. 


Stay  at  Home 

Don't  go  downtown  to  do  your  shopping.  You 
can  get  prices  and  quality  right. here  in  Bliss  Park. 
To  encourage  local  shopping  we  have  arranged  with 
the 

Dreamland 

to  honor  our  passes.  A  FREE  TICKET  to  the 
matinee  performance  for  any  day  of  the  week  in 
which  the  purchase  is  made,  except  Saturday,  will 
be  given  with  every  purchase  of  one  dollar  or  over. 

Stay  at  Home  to  Shop 
Figure  79. — Merchant's  announcement. 


This  should  be  signed  by  all  the  merchants  making 
the  offer.  Tickets  may  be  given  them  or  sold  very 
cheaply  in  quantity.  If  all  the  merchants  have  the 
style  of  cash  register  that  prints  the  merchant's  name 
and  date  of  sale  as  well  as  the  price  on  the  slip,  these 
may  be  used  in  place  of  coupons  and  they  may  be 
made  cumulative ;  a  sixty-cent  sale  by  the  grocer  and 
a  forty-cent  purchase  from  the  butcher  having  the 
same  value,  taken  together,  as  a  dollar  check  from 
the  druggist.  Tickets  are  given  out  for  any  dollar's 
worth  of  checks  and  these  being  turned  back  to  the 
firms  as  vouchers. 

This  leads  to  another  and  perhaps  the  most  genuine- 
ly successful  matinee  scheme  for  all  concerned  that 
has  been  devised.  This  is  the  Merchant's  Matinee. 
The  house  is  sold  out  for  a  flat  price  to  the  merchants 
in  the  scheme,  each  man  getting  his  share  of  tickets, 
either  printed  especially  for  him  or  rubber  stamped 
by  him.  This  matinee  is  for  the  same  day  each  week 
and  only  that  day  and  the  tickets  are  sent  to  rural 
patrons  in  the  effort  to  get  them  .into  town  on  a  dull 


GETTING   NEW    BUSINESS  221 

day  and  to  take  the  pressure  from  the  Saturday  shop- 
ping business.  The  Exhibitor  plays  to  a  profitable  cer- 
tainty and  gets  his  house  known  to  the  rural  trade. 
The  merchant  gets  business  on  a  dull  day  when  the 
clerks  are  less  busy  than  on  Saturday  and  the  rural 
patrons  get  good  entertainment  without  charge.  Each 
merchant  distributes  his  own  tickets  by  mail  or  de- 
livery as  he  elects.  The  tickets  may  be  worded  to 
suit,  but  a  good  form  would  be  similar  to  that  shown 
in  Figure  80.  Care  should  be  taken  to  make  the  job 
an  attractive  one  for  it  is  not  only  a  ticket  to  the  per- 
formance but  an  advertisement  for  the  merchant  and 
the  house  and  generally  the  fixed  income  is  sufficiently 
ample  to  warrant  the  use  of  good  stock. 


^be  361UC  jfront  Store 

Invites  you  to  be  its  guest  at  the 

Merchant's  Matinee 
On  Friday  afternoon,  May  2d,  at  the 

dosmos  theatre 

Commencing  at  3:30 

POSITIVELY    NO    EXTRA    CHARGE    OF     ANY    SORT    IN    CONNECTION 
WITH    THIS    TICKET. 


Figure  80. — Merchant's  Matinee  Ticket. 


The  merchant's  matinee  is  good  for  only  one  day  a 
week  and  not  helpful  to  a  business  that  is  being  built 
up,  but  the  merchants  can  help  in  building  up  daily 
attendance  by  distributing  the  tickets.  If  you  can  sell 
them,  so  much  the  better,  but  at  least  they  can  dis- 
tribute for  you  and  give  you  some  advertising. 

It  is  always  a  bad  habit  to  give  away  free  tickets. 
No  one  ever  gives  away  that  which  is  of  value  without 
some  reason  and  the  free  ticket  not  only  suggests 
something  of  no  value  but  it  confirms  the  recipient  in 


222  PICTURE  THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

the  deadhead  habit  and  for  a  chronic  case  of  this  there 
is  no  cure.  It  will  be  necessary  to  give  away  tickets 
for  a  time,  but  try  to  do  it  in  such  a  way  that  they  will 
get  the  matinee  habit  and  not  the  deadhead  habit. 

If  merchants  will  not  pay  for  matinee  tickets,  make 
them  at  least  give  you  plenty  of  advertising.  Get 
them  to  phrase  their  advertising  to  suggest  that  they 
have  to  pay  well  for  the  tickets.  Get  them  to  show 
your  lithographs  and  matinee  announcements.  Have 
a  board  neatly  lettered  "This  is  one  of  the  splendid 
plays  at  the  Comedy  that  you  may  see  as  our  guest." 
Have  a  large  Today  at  the  bottom.  Then  put  out  a 
new  one-sheet  each  day. 

Ezra  Rhodes  has  a  novel  scheme  for  matinee  busi- 
ness in  the  downtown  section.  The  house  runs  through 
the  noon  hour.  He  plays  up  this  line:  "We  want  our 
regular  noonday  patrons  who  have  not  time  to  see 
the  full  show  to  ask  for  a  return  check  good  for  later 
in  the  day."  This  sounds  simple,  but  there  is  thought 
back  of  that  sentence.  Not  many  of  those  who  have 
half  or  three-quarters  of  an  hour  for  lunch  and  rest 
will  pay  to  see  a  reel  or  two.  They  tell  themselves 
that  they  will  drop  in  after  hours.  When  that  time 
comes  they  may  have  forgotten  or  something  else  may 
have  presented  itself.  But  if  they  can  drop  in  for  the 
half-hour  and  come  back  later  on  they  will  buy  a  ticket 
and  enter.  Mr.  Rhodes  has  the  money  for  a  night 
admission  whether  the  ticket  is  used  again  or  not,  and  he 
has  a  good  business  at  an  hour  usually  dull,  which  in 
itself  is  good  advertising.  These  return  tickets  may  be 
along  the  lines  of  the  daily  school  ticket  to  be  described 
later,  the  date  being  put  in  with  a  large  rubber  stamp. 

There  was  a  time  when  it  was  possible  to  do  busi- 
ness with  the  local  paper,  exchanging  tickets  for  ad- 
vertising, but  of  late  the  newspaper  coupon  scheme 
has  become  such  a  menace  that  it  is  better  to  keep 
out  entirely.  If,  after  a  time,  you  make  your  matinee 
business  and  want  to  stop,  you  can  take  your  tickets 
away  from  the  merchants,  but  taking  the  offer  away 
from  a  newspaper  that  finds  the  scheme  helps  circula- 


GETTING   NEW    BUSINESS  223 

tion  is  quite  another  thing.     It  is  best  to  keep  out  of 
trouble  than  to  trust  to  being  able  to  get  out. 

You  can  perhaps  do  business  with  coupon  books 
direct  to  the  patron,  selling  these  matinee  books  for 
half  or  one-third  value  and  limiting  the  time  in  which 
they  are  to  be  valid.  If  you  want  to  raise  the  price 
and  find  it  possible,  drop  the  sale  of  the  books  and 
later  restore  it  "at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  our  pa- 
trons," at  a  new  price  if  the  scheme  has  worked  or 
at  the  old  price  if  business  has  dropped. 

Work  personal  correspondence  to  a  select  list,  using 
a  form  letter  rather  than  a  printed  advertisement.  Run 
this  off  in  the  odd  moments  of  your  own  or  your 
stenographer's  time.  Figure  81  gives  you  the  form. 
Have  it  a  real  letter  and  not  a  reproduction.  The 
copy  is  not  long  and  a  personal  letter  is  a  personal 
appeal. 


Mrs.  J.   B.   Blank, 

Somewhere,  N.  Y. 
Dear  Mrs.   Blank: 

Do  you  know  about  the  Minaret's  Matinees?  Do  you  know 
that  we  give  the  same  program  as  at  the  evening  performance 
with  the  same  care  and  then  add  a  couple  of  reels  shown  only  in 
the  afternoon?  We  want  yoti  to  get  the  matinee  habit.  We 
want  you  for  a  regular  patron.  We  want  you  to  come  in  the 
afternoons  when  there  is  plenty  of  room.  It  will  give  you  greater 
pleasure  and  comfort  and  still  give  us  more  room  for  the  night 
crowds.     Be  our  guest  some  afternoon  this  week. 

Figure  81. — Matinee  letter. 


Send  a  pass  for  two  with  this  and  tell  the  doorman 
to  be  extra  nice  when  these  tickets  come  to  the  door. 
Do  not  exclude  Saturday  or  Sunday.  Make  it  "week 
of"  just  for  this  once. 

If  you  have  an  obliging  exchange,  you  can  work  up 
some  extra  matinee  business  very  nicely.  Get  in  with 
some  literary  club  and  offer  them  your  theatre  for 
morning  meetings.  They  can  go  to  the  home  of  some 
member  for  lunch  later  if  they  wish,  but  ofifer  them  a 
home  and  try  and  get  for  them  visualizations  of  the 


224  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

literature  they  study.  Get  them  to  study  what  you 
can  obtain.  Dig  down  into  the  commercials  for  old 
but  good  titles.  Run  a  reel  or  two  and  then  put  on 
the  lights  and  let  them  talk.  Have  it  clearly  under- 
stood that  the  house  must  be  empty  by  a  certain 
hour,  well  in  advance  of  the  regular  afternoon  opening. 
The  novelty  of  meeting  in  a  theatre  will  please  the 
club  and  they  will  feel  that  they  must  come  some 
afternoon  just  to  show  they  appreciate  the  courtesy. 
Get  them  used  to  coming  to  your  house  in  daylight 
and  they  will  come  to  the  matinees.  It  is  their  literary 
temple.  They  will  talk  it  up  to  others.  It  may  cost 
you  a  couple  of  dollars,  but  no  more  than  you  would 
pay  for  half  that  much  advertising  in  some  other 
direction  if  you  select  the  right  sort  of  club  to  ap- 
proach. 

If  there  is  an  orphan  asylum  or  other  institution 
near,  give  them  a  treat  now  and  then.  You  cannot 
win  trade  from  them  but  others  will  appreciate  what 
you  are  doing  and  the  bread  will  come  back  buttered. 

Many  theatres  are  now  built  with  assembly  rooms. 
This  may  be  used  evenings  for  dances.  Let  it  work 
afternoons.  Be  willing  to  loan  it  to  the  clubs  and  so- 
cieties that  are  worth  while.  Make  your  house  a 
social  centre  daytimes  as  well  as  evenings. 

To  sum  up,  to  do  a  matinee  business  you  must  give 
as  good  or  better  performance  as  you  do  in  the  even- 
ing. 

To  make  the  fact  known  you  must  offer  inducements 
in  the  shape  of  disguised  free  admissions.  When  the 
habit  is  acquired,  stop  the  free  tickets  and  run  on  the 
business  you  have  created,  which  may  only  be  done 
by  keeping  the  show  up  to  standard. 


PRIZE   AND    CONTEST    SCHEMES  225 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
PRIZE  AND  CONTEST  SCHEMES 

Avoid  all  lotteries — what  the  law  is — Prize  contests 
and  schemes  create  jealousy  and  disappointment 
— safer  ideas. 

Before  the  subject  of  prize  schemes  is  elaborately 
gone  into  the  Exhibitor  should  get  a  close  and  definite 
idea  as  to  what  a  lottery  is,  and  an  understanding  of 
the  difference  between  the  State  and  Federal  laws  on 
this  matter.  It  is  seldom  that  a  court  is  very  strict 
with  an  unintentional  offender,  but  there  may  be  a 
fine  and  there  will  be  in  any  event  much  unpleasant 
notoriety. 

There  are  three  divisions  of  the  law;  the  city,  the 
State  and  the  Federal.  The  city  ordinance  may  pre- 
scribe no  penalty  whatever  for  a  lottery  and  the  State 
law  may  regard  leniently  the  definition  of  a  lottery. 
If  you  comply  with  both  city  and  State  law  you  are 
safe  so  long  as  you  do  not  use  the  mails,  but  the  mo- 
ment you  mail,  or  cause  to  be  mailed,  any  advertise- 
ment of  a  lottery,  however  innocent,  you  become  a 
Federal  offender.  If  you  mail  your  advertisement  by 
inserting  it  in  the  newspapers  then  both  yourself  and 
the  publisher  are  offenders. 

There  is  no  uncertainty  about  the  Federal  statutes. 
Any  scheme  of  any  sort  or  nature  whatsoever  wherein 
the  awarding  of  anything  of  value  is  determined  by 
chance  is  a  lottery  in  the  letter  of  the  law  if  a  "valuable 
consideration"  is  given  in  return  for  the  chance. 

It  is  in  the  definition  of  valuable  consideration  that 
the  trouble  lies.  If  you  give  to  your  patrons  a  num- 
bered program  and  tell  them  that  on  Friday  night  you 
are  going  to  draw  three  numbers  from  a  box  and  award 


226  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

prizes  to  those  numbers,  you  may  feel  that  you  have 
not  asked  any  "valuable  consideration."  It  is  true 
that  the  people  have  to  be  in  the  house  to  receive  the 
prize,  but  they  would  come  anyhow  and  for  the  ad- 
mission price  you  give  precisely  the  same  thing  that 
on  other  nights  they  pay  for  without  a  prize  feature. 
You  give  away  the  programs,  there  is  no  extra  charge 
of  any  sort.  You  cannot  see  where  the  patron  buys  a 
lottery  ticket  from  you.  Perhaps  you  cannot,  but  you 
will  probably  find  that  even  if  you  made  no  charge  for 
admission ;  if  you  gave  them  the  show  free  and  merely 
required  that  the  winners  should  be  in  the  house,  you 
will  have  exacted  a  "valuable  consideration"  and  are 
running  a  lottery. 

The  Universal  offered  fifty  dollars  for  the  best  title 
for  an  unnamed  play.  Before  the  issue  of  the  Universal 
Weekly  containing  the  advertisement  of  this  ofifer 
could  be  released  in  the  mails,  a  full  synopsis  of  the 
play  had  to  be  printed  and  inserted  in  each  copy.  To 
see  the  play  at  some  theatre  would  have  been  a  valu- 
able consideration.  To  avoid  the  impounding  of  the 
edition,  it  was  necessary  to  tell  the  story  so  that  any 
person  might  compete  for  the  prize.  Tests  of  skill 
are  not  matters  of  chance,  but  a  charge  to  compete 
makes  it  a  lottery  and  so,  though  there  was  no  actual 
entrance  fee,  the  scheme  was  adjudged  a  lottery  until 
even  this  slight  requirement  was  avoided. 

To  get  attention,  an  Exhibitor  printed  on  the  out- 
side of  some  envelopes  the  announcement  that  some 
might  contain  a  ticket.  Tickets  were  put  into  about  a 
quarter  of  the  run  and  the  rest  contained  merely  the 
advertising  matter.  It  was  unofificially  ruled  that  the 
effort  of  opening  the  envelope  was  a  valuable  consider- 
ation and  that  therefore  the  scheme  was  a  lottery. 

Many  schemes  may  be  perfectly  legal  within  the 
State.  The  best  legal  authority  may  so  advise  you 
and  the  highest  State  court  may  uphold  him,  but  the 
moment  your  advertisement  goes  into  the  mails  you 
come  under  the  Federal  statutes.  You  may  offend 
with  impunity  for  years,  but  on  the  other  hand  the 


PRIZE   AND    CONTEST    SCHEMES  227 

Post  Office  Inspectors  may  visit  you  tomorrow,  and 
once  you  have  been  warned  you  will  be  watched 
very  closely. 

There  seems  to  be  no  objection  to  offering  a  prize 
for  the  person  who  discovers  an  intentional  error  in 
your  program.  That  depends  upon  skill  and  not 
chance.  But  if  you  add  that  the  persons  competing 
must  be  in  the  theatre  a  certain  night  to  obtain  the 
prize  then  you  have  a  lottery  on  your  hands.  Again, 
if  you  avoid  this  but  announce  that  in,  the  event  of  a 
tie  the  winning  solution  will  be  decided  by  drawing 
names  from  a  hat,  then  you  are  once  more  running  a 
lottery. 

From  another  angle  there  is  objection  to  the  prize 
scheme  in  that  there  are  so  few  winners  and  always 
some  disgruntled  losers.  Still  there  are  contests  that 
can  be  used  to  build  up  matinee  business  or  dull  nights, 
and  they  are  not  objectionable  if  the  law  is  strictly 
complied  with. 

Prize  schemes  for  programs  'have  been  explained  in 
Chapter  XVIII,  and  baby  contests  have  been  alluded 
to  as  good  things  to  keep  away  from,  but  there  can 
be  no  objection  to  the  baby  contest  where  the  decision 
is  made  by  the  public  and  may  be  influenced  by  the 
efforts  of  the  mothers.  Then  the  decision  no  longer 
lies  with  you  and  the  mother  who  loses  has  only  her- 
self to  blame. 

There  are  two  ways  of  working  the  scheme.  One 
is  merely  to  flash  the  pictures  of  the  babies  at  each 
performance.  The  tickets  carry  voting  coupons  and 
at  the  door  there  is  a  box  labeled  with  the  name  of 
each  child.  The  votes  are  dropped  into  these  boxes. 
At  the  end  of  a  specified  time  the  contest  is  closed  and 
the  award  is  made  in  accordance  with  the  vote.  The 
vote  may  be  blind  or  open;  announced  each  day  or 
kept  secret  until  the  end  of  the  contest.  Each  way  has 
its  advantage.  With  the  closed  vote  the  mothers  are 
always  afraid  of  a  dark  horse  and  keep  hustling.  The 
open  vote  stimulates  general  interest. 

If  the  contest  runs    for  any  length   of  time   it  is  a 


228  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

good  plan  to  run  series  votes,  insisting  that  all  these 
votes  be  polled  at  a  proper  time.  This  prevents  the 
"dumping"  of  votes  at  the  finish.  One  block  of  a 
thousand  votes  cast  at  an  opportune  moment  may 
discourage  the  rest  and  put  a  damper  on  the  affair 
when  interest  should  be  at  its  height.  For  this  reason 
have  the  votes  lettered  or  numbered.  Announce  that 
all  "A"  votes,  which  are  printed  on  green  paper,  must 
be  deposited  before  noon  of  the  following  Tuesday. 
The  next  week  the  "B"  votes  must  be  similarly  cast. 
These  are  on  red  paper  and  no  green  votes  are  counted. 
This  scheme  has  an  advantage  in  that  the  votes  are 
counted  by  weeks  and  do  not  come  in  to  swamp  the 
tellers  at  the  last  moment. 

A  second  form  of  the  scheme  is  to  divide  the  bailies 
into  groups.  Perhaps  six  are  shown  the  first  week. 
The  two  having  the  highest  number  of  votes  compete 
for  the  finals.  In  the  same  way  other  sets  are  shown 
until  the  last  week  when  the  winners  compete  for  the 
larger  prizes.  The  eliminations  should  not  run  more 
than  four  or  five  weeks.  It  will  probably  be  found 
that  Mrs.  Jones,  whose  baby  was  defeated  by  the 
odious  Smith  child  the  first  week,  will  not  sulk  on  the 
contest  but  stay  in  and  devote  her  energies  to  helping 
some  other  likely  candidate  defeat  the  Smith  infant. 

Do  not  try  to  run  the  contest  single  handed.  Get 
for  tellers  the  most  solid  citizens  you  can  induce  to 
serve.  Have  everything  so  fair  and  open  that  there 
is  not  the  least  possible  opening  for  the  charge  that 
you  have  been  unfair  or  have  helped  this  person  or 
that  to  win  the  prize. 

Keep  the  standing  of  the  competitors  posted  on  a 
blackboard  in  the  lobby,  advertise  the  daily  changes  in 
the  papers  if  you  use  them.     Keep  the  interest  up. 

Popularity  schemes  are  run  on  precisely  the  same 
lines  save  that  with  sufficiently  attractive  prizes  the 
contest  may  be  run  for  as  long  as  three  months.  An 
automobile  is  an  attractive  prize  and  can  be  had  with 
the  discounts  off  if  the  make  is  properly  boomed. 
There  should  be  some  lesser  prizes. 


PRIZE   ANiD    CONTEST    SCHEMES  229 

Require  all  contestants  to  enter  their  names  in  the 
first  week.  Print  up  a  coupon  similar  to  Figure  82. 
This  holds  out  the  dark  horses  and  simplifies  the  situa- 
tion. It  also  avoids  the  withdrawal  of  names  entered 
without  the  knowledge  of  the  person. 


Manager, 

Joyland   Theatre. 

Blissville.  N.   Y. 
You   are   hereby  authorized   to   enter  my  name  as   a  contestant 
in  the  Popularity  Contest  now  being  conducted  by  you. 


Signature. 
Address. 


Figure  82. — Entrance  coupon. 


Have  coupon  books  printed  up  good  for  one  and  five 
dollars  worth  of  admissions.  These  should  be  good 
for  three  or  four  months.  The  books  should  carry  an 
extra  leaf  in  the  form  of  a  coupon  good  for  votes  the 
amount  of  the  ticket  or  perhaps  a  little  more.  Have 
the  votes  based  on  a  five  cent  admission  no  matter 
what  the  charge  may  be,  giving  two  votes  with  a  ten- 
cent  ticket,  five  with  a  twenty-five-cent  ticket  and  so 
on.  The  dollar  books  may  give  twenty-five  instead  of 
twenty  votes  and  the  five-dollar  books  one  hundred 
and  fifty.  The  five-cent  basis  not  only  makes  it  pos- 
sible to  handle  mixed  admission  and  advanced  price 
days,  but  it  gives  a  greater  number  of  votes  and  makes 
the  contest  seem  more  important. 

If  you  are  in  a  small  town  you  can  better  this  scheme 
by  letting  the  merchants  in.  Offer  a  dozen  big  prizes; 
a  railroad  trip,  an  automobile.  Get  merchants  in  all 
lines  interested.  Sell  them  votes  in  bulk  at  a  price  that 
will  enable  them  to  give  votes  to  purchasers  in  the 
same  proportion  that  you  do,  but  pick  men  who  will 
not  sell  the  votes  to  their  friends.  Now  you  will 
have  the  merchants  working  for  you  and  the  contest 
has  assumed  the  proportions  of  an  event.  All  mer- 
chants   will    display    your    advertising    matter    in    their 


230  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Stores  and  windows,  but  the  tickets  must  be  voted  in 
the  theatre  lobby  and  their  patrons  must  come  to  your 
house.  Get  the  merchants  to  serve  as  tellers  or  let 
them  appoint  representatives. 

Have  a  legal  contract  drawn  up  stating  clearly  just 
what  you  must  do  and  what  they  must  do.  Provide 
for  the  withdrawal  of  the  vote  from  any  merchant  who 
issues  votes  out  of  proportion  to  the  purchase  or  who 
sells  the  votes  for  a  price  instead  of  giving  them  with 
purchases.  State  in  your  advertising  that  merchants 
are  pledged  to  this  and  it  will  give  your  contestants 
confidence. 

You  can  run  the  contest  for  as  long  as  three  months 
and  help  all  concerned.  For  the  decision,  give  a  morn- 
ing to  the  final  voting  and  have  the  house  open  to  the 
public  that  all  may  be  present. 

Work  a  church  contest.  Every  church  has  one  or 
more  societies.  And  each  society  has  some  aim.  One 
denomination  wants  a  recessed  chancel,  another  a  new 
organ  and  a  third  perhaps  wants  to  build  an  iron  fence 
around  the  property.  Announce  a  cash  prize  to  be 
given  the  society  getting  the  greatest  number  of  votes. 
Make  it  worth  hustling  for.  Give  votes  as  in  the 
popularity  contest  and  let  the  members  of  the  so- 
cieties sell  the  books.  Let  each  society  hold  all  the 
votes  until  the  deciding  day,  to  be  cast  in  bulk.  Have 
them  brought  to  the  theatre  and  start  counting  on  the 
stage  or  before  the  screen.  Have  this  open  to  the 
public  or  else  give  each  society  its  share  of  the  tickets 
to  be  distributed  among  their  friends.  You  can  make 
it  an  evening  afifair,  but  the  morning  would  be  better. 
Get  the  orchestra  out  and  have  plenty  of  screen  slides 
lettered  with  the  name  of  the  society  and  a  blank  for 
the  number  of  votes.  Have  two  or  three  for  each 
society.  As  the  votes  are  counted  send  word  to  the 
operator  or  use  the  'house  telephone  if  you  have  one. 
Announce  a  certain  vote  for  this  church,  then  give  the 
standing  of  another  and  so  on.  As  the  tellers  do  their 
work  you  can  get  the  result  and  flash  it.  Keep  the 
house  lights  on  in  the  interval  but  darken  and  flash 


PRIZE   AND    CONTEST    SCHEMES  231 

the  results  often  enough  to  keep  the  excitement  up. 
As  soon  as  a  slide  has  been  used  it  is  repainted  with 
opaque  and  alcohol  to  be  used  again. 

When  the  result  of  the  finals  is  known  put  on  all 
the  lights  and  hand  the  president  of  the  winning  so- 
ciety the  prize  in  brand  new  five-dollar  bills.  If  a 
second  church  is  but  a  few  votes  behind  the  first,  make 
a  second  award,  though  none  was  promised.  You  will 
get  your  money  back  on  these  little  things  in  a  hun- 
dred dififerent  ways,  but  do  not  give  a  second  prize 
unless  the  second  society  is  so  far  ahead  of  the  third 
that  the  third  has  no  reason  for  thinking  that  they 
should  have  been  noticed,  too. 

Schools  or  school  societies  or  fraternal  orders  may 
be  worked  on  the  same  lines,  but  the  church  proposi- 
tion is  the  best  because  it  gives  you  greater  prestige. 
You  need  to  reach  the  church  people  and  be  friends 
with  them. 

Merchants  may  be  admitted  to  this  contest  as  well 
as  in  the  popularity  scheme,  selling  them  votes  in  bulk 
instead  of  pro-rating  the  cost,  but  the  church  plan  is 
best  held  to  your  own  house  unless  you  ofifer  a  thou- 
sand dollars  in  money. 

In  working  in  with  the  merchants  do  not  try  to 
make  money  ofif  them.  You  need  their  good  will  and 
you  may  need  their  co-operation  again.  It  is  better 
to  sell  the  votes  for  a  flat  price  and  then,  if  you  find 
that  four  or  five  times  the  number  of  votes  estimated 
has  been  needed  you  can  pro-rate  a  rebate. 

Swat  the  Fly  crusades  can  be  worked  as  prize 
schemes  in  the  early  Summer.  Start  in  during  April  to 
book  the  contest  and  run  the  contest  during  May  and 
June.  Get  hold  of  one  of  the  old  Selig  fly  pictures  if 
you  can  and  run  this  and  some  comedies  at  a  Satur- 
day morning  performance  for  the  children..  Charge 
no  admission.  Let  someone  lecture  on  the  danger  of 
the  fly  and  then  make  your  own  talk.  Tell  the  chil- 
dren that  you  want  them  to  help  rid  the  town  of  flies. 
Explain  that  a  fly  killed  in  May  means  the  destruc- 
tion of  many  flies  in  June.    Tell  them  that  prizes  will 


232  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

be  given  in  proportion  to  the  number  killed.  Have  a 
unit  value.  The  first  week  in  May  the  unit  can  be  one 
ounce  of  flies.  The  second  week  two  ounces  will  be 
required,  three  the  third  and  four  the  fourth.  After 
that  the  standard  unit  can  be  five  ounces  of  flies  for 
there  will  be  more  than  five  times  as  many.  Get  the 
loan  of  a  pair  of  druggists'  scales  and  weigh  by  ounce, 
and  decimals. 

Have  prepared  a  neat  membership  card.  Make  it 
as  important  looking  as  the  heart  of  a  small  boy  can 
desire.  Have  someone  who  writes  a  neat  hand  to 
take  the  entries  and  write  the  name  of  the  child  on 
the  card.  Do  not  get  a  card  that  does  not  require 
names  to  be  written  in.  It  has  a  value  all  its  own  if 
the  child  sees  his  or  her  own  name  written  in.  The 
text  for  this  is  given  in  Figure  83. 


Iwsilt  Tlh©  Fly  Owib 

of  the 

Cirescemitt  Tlheattre 

This  is  to  certify  that 


is  ail  active  member  in  good  standing  for  1916. 
Printed  fac-simile  signature, 

President. 


Figure   83. — Membership    Card. 


The  signature  of  the  President  (generally  the  man- 
ager) should  be  printed  in  fac-simile.  The  President 
may  be  some  minister  or  other  well  known  person, 
perhaps  the  Health  Ofiicer. 

Have  weekly,  monthly  and  season  prizes.  The 
weekly  prize  can  be  a  couple  of  dollars.  The  monthly 
prize  for  the  largest  number  of  units  can  be  five  dol- 
lars,  and   a   prize   of   ten   dollars   given  at  the   end   of 


PRIZE   AND    CONTEST    SCHEMES  233 

the  season  for  the  grand  total.  Keep  a  ledger  ac- 
count of  each  name,  working  it  on  a  card  catalogue, 
and  keep  the  standing  of  the  leaders  posted  in  the 
lobby.  Require  the  flies  to  be  brought  to  the  theatre 
in  bags.  Get  special  weights  cut  for  tenths  of  an 
ounce,  Troy  (48  grains  to  each  tenth).  Weigh  the  flies 
carefully  and  credit  by  units  and  tenths.  Have  a  glass 
case  and  put  all  the  flies  in  the  case.  Keep  the  case 
in  the  lobby  and  keep  it  locked.  Take  his  member- 
ship from  any  small  boy  who  tries  to  work  in  sticks 
or  gravel. 

And  all  the  time  keep  talking  of  the  fly  crusade  on 
your  screen,  in  your  advertisements  and  in  the  lobby. 
Give  cheap  fly  swatters  for  matinee  souvenirs.  Have 
weekly  talks  about  the  fly  pest,  and  keep  the  interest 
up.  Some  night,  after  the  collection  of  flies  has  be- 
come important  looking,  take  them  out,  fasten  a  cigar 
box  to  the. bottom,  covering  it  with  flies.  As  the  col- 
lection proceeds  you  can  add  a  cigar  box  from  time 
to  time. 

Catch  the  Rat  is  a  newer  crusade,  but  .it  is  well  to 
keep  away  from  this.  Women  will  not  want  to  come 
to  the  theatre  if  small  boys  with  their  pockets  full  of 
dead  rats  are  apt  to  be  hanging  around.  If  the  scheme 
catches  hold  of  your  town  and  you  think  you  can 
make  capital  of  it,  take  it  up,  but  specify  that  the  rats 
must  be  delivered  to  some  point  other  than  the  the- 
atre, and  none  whatever  may  be  brought  to  the  house. 

As  a  substitute  for  amateur  night,  try  a  prize  con- 
test between  the  dramatic  societies  if  there  are  as 
many  as  three.  If  there  are  none  you  might  form 
some  and  then  start  the  contest.  On  a  certain  night  each 
week  let  one  of  the  societies  present  a  one-act  play. 
Next  week  let  another  and  then  another  until  all  have 
had  a  chance.  Let  the  audience  vote  their  preference, 
votes  being  given  with  each  ticket  sold  on  those  nights, 
but  being  cast  only  on  the  final  night. 

And  remember  that  in  any  prize  scheme  it  is  well 
first  to  see  a  lawyer  and  ask  about  both  the  local  and 
the  Federal  laws. 


234  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


CHAPTER     XXV. 

PREMIUM  AND  COUPON  SCHEMES 

Series    coupons — coupon    books — spelling    coupons — 
rummage  days — unannounced  souvenirs. 

for  lasting  results  the  coupon  or  premium  scheme 
of  some  sort  is  to  be  preferred  to  the  prize  scheme. 
All  may  have  an  equal  chance  with  the  coupon.  None 
are  disappointed,  decidedly  sore  and  slightly  suspicious. 
They  know  that  if  they  do  not  get  their  share  it  is 
because  they  have  not  done  their  share  of  work  and 
are  not  entitled  to  it. 

Coupon  schemes  roughly  divide  themselves  into 
two  classes ;  those  in  which  a  certain  number  of  coupons 
must  be  collected  and  those  in  which  the  coupons  must  be 
in  series.  The  latter  form  is  particularly  useful  in 
matinee  work.  The  mass  coupon  represents  merely  a 
certain  number  of  attendances,  but  the  series  coupons 
prove  the  habit-forming  regularity  of  attendance. 

Series  coupons  may  be  numbered  or  lettered.  They 
may  be  numbered  by  days,  by  weeks  or  half  weeks,  or 
numbered  serially,  but  given  out  only  on  thosei  days 
for  which  it  is  desired  to  make  business.  It  is  seldom 
or  never  a  good  plan  to  offer  prizes  for  a  series  of 
daily  coupons.  Not  only  it  is  rarely  that  a  patron 
can  afiford  the  time  to  come  each  afternoon,  but  if 
they  do  they  will  tire  too  quickly.  It  is  better  to  pick 
out  two  bad  days  a  week  and  make  the  series  coupons 
the  issues  for  those  days. 

Mass  coupons  may  be  given  out  at  any  time  desired. 
and  any  coupon  is  good  in  connection  with  the  rest. 

The  prizes  should  be  proportioned  to  the  number 
of  coupons  required,  but  it  is  better  to  offer  a  choice 


PREMIUM    AND    COUPON    SCHEMES  235 

of  several  prizes  and  to  require  a  sufficient  number  of 
coupons  to  be  able  to  afford  an  article  of  good  value 
rather  than  offer  pinchbeck  "gold  rings"  for  ten 
coupons  that  will  be  a  reproach  to  the  house. 

One  favorite  premium  is  the  fifty  or  hundred-piece 
set  of  table  china.  In  the  past,  theatres  offering  stock 
company  attractions  have  given  these  sets  to  all  wo- 
men patrons  who  have  attended  every  week  during 
the  forty-week  season,  or  a  more  costly  hundred-piece 
set  is  given  the  woman  who  collects  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  matinee  seat  coupons  in  that  time.  Here  one 
set  costing  forty  or  fifty  dollars  may  be  offered  for 
the  contestants  will  not  only  come  themselves  but 
urge  all  their  friends  to  attend.  For  picture  theatres 
it  is  better  to  cut  the  cost  of  the  set  and  confine  the 
offer  to  a  period  of  three  or  four  months.  With  this 
coupon  scheme  it  is  a  good  plan  to  issue  the  books 
referred  to  in  the  preceding  chapter  and  to  sell  these  to 
the  women,  who  dispose  of  them  to  their  friends.  The 
tickets  should  be  made  to  show  that  they  are  good  for 
matinees  only,  and  should  be  accepted  without  the  book, 
since  they  will  be  torn  out  as  sold. 

Working  a  variation  of  this  scheme,  the  contest 
may  be  held  only  to  these  tickets,  and  prizes  given 
either  for  the  greatest  number  of  or  for  a  specified 
number  of  coupons.  In  this  case  it  amounts  to  no 
more  than  a  commission  paid  the  entrants  for  dis- 
posing of  a  certain  number  of  tickets.  Figure  out 
the  commission  you  are  willing  to  pay  and  select 
prizes  on  that  basis. 

The  solar  print  finished  in  oils  is  a  good  premium, 
and  can  be  had  from  some  of  the  suppliers  of  adver- 
tising very  reasonably.  Almost  any  article  of  house- 
hold use  may  be  used.  The  so-called  "slum"  shops, 
handling  novelties  and  street  goods,  issue  catalogues 
giving  a  wide  range  of  articles  varying  in  value  from 
sixty  cents  a  gross  to  fifty  cents  each.  Pocket  mirrors 
can  be  had  for  as  little  as  two  cents  each  from  those 
who  make  advertising  devices  and  in  the  larger  towns 
are  "king  fakirs"   who  deal  in  job  lots.     It  is  well  to 


236  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

be  fairly  generous  with  your  patrons.  Trumpery  stuff 
will  suggest  a  trumpery  show  and  it  is  far  better  to 
give  fewer  souvenirs,  and  better  ones,  than  to  hand 
out  stuff  that  decent  people  will  not  care  to  take  home. 

Souvenirs  should  be  of  a  sort  to  appeal  to  the 
clientele.  Chromos  will  not  be  appreciated  by  those 
who  prefer  etchings  on  their  walls,  nor  will  a  volume 
of  poems  appeal  to  the  man  who  prefers  to  read  the 
exploits  of  Derringer  Dick,  the  Daredevil  Detective. 

Do  not  misstate  prizes.  A  tea  set  to  each  patron 
should  not  be  a  child's  toy  set  except,  perhaps,  on  the 
first  of  April.  It  is  well  to  give  more  than  is  promised 
rather  than  less. 

For  that  matter  it  is  sometimes  a  good  plan  to  give 
unexpected  souvenirs.  Do  not  announce  any  special 
souvenir  day,  but  some  afternoon  or  evening  hand  out 
the  presents.  Give  them  as  the  patron  leaves  the 
house,  for  then  interest  will  not  be  taken  from  the 
program,  they  will  be  sent  home  pleased  and  the  peo- 
ple coming  from  your  house  with  gifts  in  their  hands 
will  advertise  the  theatre  to  others. 

Postcards  form  the  cheapest  souvenirs,  costing  as 
little  as  three  dollars  a  thousand.  They  can  be  used 
as  a  series  if  certain  portraits  are  given  certain 
days  and  the  patrons  have  to  attend  regularly  to  get 
the  complete  set.  In  the  same  way,  by  using  "open 
stock"  china,  you  can  give  the  set  piecemeal,  a  plate, 
a  cup  or  saucer  at  a  time,  arranging  with  the  store  to 
get  the  stuff  as  you  need  it. 

Where  the  prizes  are  of  good  value,  requiring  a 
large  number  of  coupons,  it  is  well  to  let  the  patron 
compound  for  part  coupons  and  part  cash.  This 
enables  the  woman  who  has  not  many  friends  to  stand 
a  chance  of  getting  something  for  the  few  coupons 
she  is  able  to  collect.  The  coupons  are  all  valued  at 
the  retail  price  of  the  goods  and  as  you  purchase  in 
quantities  you  will  make  a  better  showing,  but  do  not 
say  that  a  five  dollar  article  is  worth  eight.  Women 
know  values,  perhaps  better  than  you  do. 

The  Rummage  Souvenir  is  a  good  way  to  work  off 


PREMIUM   AND    COUPON    SCHEMES  237 

old  stuff.  At  each  souvenir  distribution  you  will  have 
a  few  articles  left  over,  since  you  cannot  gauge  ex- 
actly the  demand.  When  you  have  sufficient  announce 
a  rummage  and  distribute  these  accumulations.  Dis- 
guise the  small  articles  with  newspaper  to  have  the 
bundles  all  the  same  size  and  play  no  favorites. 

A  coupon  scheme  that  was  worked  by  one  house 
was  the  usual  double  roll-ticket.  The  name  of  the 
house  was  the  Star.  Ten  thousand  tickets  each  were 
printed  up  with  one  of  the  letters  forming  the  name 
and  admission  was  had  on  a  set  of  four  that  spelled 
out  the  name.  The  tickets  were  on  sale  each  day  ex- 
cept Saturday  and  Sunday  and  there  was  a  different 
letter,  in  turn,  for  each  of  the  days,  first  an  S  then  a 
T,  an  A  and  an  R  being  sold,  the  fifth  day  the  S  being 
sold  again.  This  was  virtually  offering  five  admis- 
sions for  thq  price  of  four,  but  the  advertising  value 
lay  in  the  fact  that  not  many  attended  each  day  and 
holders  of  the  coupons  sought  to  exchange  with  others 
until  a  set  was  procured.  Cigar  stores  opened  swap- 
ping annexes  as  did  barber  shops  and  bars.  The  whole 
town  talked  Star  theatre  and  coupons  for  a  time,  to  the 
decided  benefit  of  the  house. 

The  letter  coupon  is  also  worked  in  a  different  way 
by  requiring  a  complete  set  for  some  prize.  The  let- 
ters may  be  sold  on  different  days  or  sold  indiscrim- 
inately. Where  it  is  not  desired  to  give  out  a  prize 
with  each  set,  the  distribution  is  determined  by  the 
number  of  a  certain  letter.  If  the  house  is  the  Novelty 
there  may  be  a  thousand  of  each  of  the  letters  but 
the  "1,"  and  but  three  hundred  of  these.  It  follows  that 
while  there  are  6,300  coupons  out  there  are  but  three 
hundred  full  sets.  Here  as  well  as  in  the  straight 
coupon  scheme,  it  might  be  well  to  offer  to  complete 
sets  for  a  certain  price,  but  this  may  emphasize  the 
lack  of  the  key  letter.  It  is  better  to  give  out  the 
same  number  of  each  letter  that  all  sets  may  be  com- 
pleted. The  talk  the  exchanging  will  make  will  be 
better  advertising  if  the  efforts  do  not  make  it  plain 
that  you  are  holding  out  one  of  the  letters.     It  may 


238  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

be  legitimate  but  it  is  not  easy  to  explain  that  to  a 
woman  who  has  all  but  the  key  letter. 

In  aclverising  coupon  schemes  make  it  clear  that  it 
is  not  a  lottery.  Use  such  lines  as  "You  can't  lose." 
"All  are  winners."  "No  blanks,  and  all  prizes  the 
same."  Dwell  on  the  idea  at  greater  length  in  a  para- 
graph. Educate  them  away  from  the  lottery  schemes. 
They  do  you  little  good  even  at  best.  You  want  to  keep 
all  of  your  patrons  pleased  and  loyal  friends  and  you 


Look  !  Look !  Look  ! 

Slain  in  the  Snows 

Paul  Paris'  great  success 
Cloth  binding.     Printed  from  the  original  plates 

Only  35c  a  copy 

Or  only  2.5c.  and   a  coupon  from  the 

Minaret  Theatre 

Where  this  splendid  story  will  be  shown 

Monday,  March  5tti 

Coupons  at  every  performance  for  the  asking 
See  the  film  Read  the  book 


Figure  84. — Booksellers  announcemeot. 

cannot  do  it  with  a  lottery.  "Country  stores,"  "pay 
nights"  and  similar  schemes  are  positively  vicious  in 
their  after  effects,  though  they  may  seem  to  be  money 
makers  at  the  time. 

Make  it  plain,  too,  that  you  are  giving  souvenirs  to 
make  business.  People  will  not  believe  that  you  are 
giving  out  prizes  out  of  goodness  of  your  heart,  so  do 
not  seek  to  convince  them  that  j^ou  are. 

Books  can  be  used  as  souvenirs  or  better  still,  you 


PREMIUM   AND    COUPON    SCHEMES  239 

can  arrange  with  some  local  bookseller  to  rebate  to 
your  patrons.  This  is  best  done  with  the  cheap  edi- 
tions of  books  that  have  been  filmed.  By  working 
in  conjunction  with  some  store  you  get  a  show  win- 
dow free  and  good  will  as  well. 

Most  publishers  will  give  or  sell  the  paper  slip 
covers  used  to  protect  the  books  before  sale.  These 
should  be  ordered  along  with  a  quantity  of  the  books. 
The  covers  are  put  on  other  books  and  these  are  used 
to  dress  the  window  with.  Then  a  sign  is  painted  to 
read  as  in  Figure  84.  The  card  should  be  set  well 
down  front  and  draped  with  bunting  or  something  ap- 
propriate to  the  story. 

At  the  same  time  run  a  slide  on  your  screen  adver- 
tising the  coming  of  the  attraction  and  a  second  slide 
worded  as  in  Figure  85. 


The  CLOTH  BOUND  edition  of  this  famous  book  may  be  bought 

At  March's 

for  thirty-five  cents.     A  coupon  entitling  you  to  purchase  it  for 
only  25c.  may  be  had  at  the  box  office  FREE   on  request. 

Figure  85. — Lantern  slide  for  book  sale. 


In  all  similar  schemes  if  you  can  let  someone  else 
in  on  it,  you  get  more  advertising,  are  rid  of  the  trouble 
and  make  a  friend.  If  you  try)  to  get  all  the  money 
you  will  get  yourself  disliked  and  the  bookseller  or 
whoever  it  is  will  lose  no  chance  to  decry  your  house 
and  your  methods.  If  you  are  running  a  theatre  do 
not  go  into  the  book  business,  though  the  sale  of 
magazines  dealing  purely  with  the  pictures  does  not 
fall  in  this  classification. 

While  it  is  often  advisable  to  work  with  the  stores 
in  contest  schemes,  it  is  not  so  good  a  plan  to  work 
premium  schemes  with  them.  This  makes  for  a  trad- 
ing stamp  suggestion  and  trading  stamps  should  be 


240  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

given  with  merchandise  and  not  with  tickets.  More- 
over if  you  deal  with  the  merchants  in  the  scheme 
they  will  insist  on  giving  double  and  triple  stamps 
now  and  then  and  these  advances  must  be  met  by  you 
with  more  coupons,  for  you  cannot  offer  less  than  the 
grocer  does,  and  presently  you  will  be  so  badly 
tangled  up  that  you  will  not  know  where  you  stand. 
Share  your  contests,  but  keep  your  coupons  to  your- 
self and  never  permit  yourself  to  be  persuaded  into 
handling  any  of  the  standard  trading"  stamps.  Stamps 
were  good  when  they  were  new  and  they  did  influence 
business.  Now  they  are  a  vicious  habit,  bringing  no 
business  and  representing  only  an  expense. 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

VARIOUS  SCHEMES 

School  tickets — baseball  teams — baseball  prizes — 
church  schemes — box  parties — stage  weddings — 
giving  a  baby  away. 

Of  publicity  schemes  there  is  no  end.  They  are 
limited  only  by  the  inventiveness  of  the  Exhibitor  and 
his  quickness  to  take  advantage  of  the  local  happen- 
ings of  the  moment  and  his  ability  to  forsee  or  make 
celebrations. 

Much  publicity  may  be  gotten  through  the  schools. 
One  of  these  ways  is  the  educational  morning  per- 
formance. Another  is  working  in  with  the  teachers  in 
following  the  class  studies.  Special  emphasis  is  laid 
upon  school  work  because  it  is  through  the  child  that 
the  pictures  enter  many  homes.  The  child  becomes 
enthused,  the  mother  looks  into  the  subject,  though 
it  has  been  approved  by  the  child's  teacher.  She  be- 
comes a  regular  patron  and  brings  the  remainder  of 


VARIOUS    SCHEMES  241 

the  family.  The  parents  become  aware  of  the  fact 
that  the  pictures  are  not  the  childish  entertainment 
they  supposed  them  to  be,  and  throug-h  the  school 
work  four  or  five  regular  attendants  are  won. 

If  your  house  is  in  one  of  these  cities  where  children 
under  sixteen  are  not  admitted  without  adult  escort, 
you  may  lose  some  of  the  child  trade,  but  the  loss  is 
partly  made  up  by  the  attendance  of  the  grown  persons. 

This  rule  seems  to  the  Exhibitor  to  be  an  unneces- 
sarily opperssive  one  and  in  many  ways  it  is,  but  the 
day  has  been  when  the  conduct  of  certain  houses  made 
the  rule  imperative,  and  it  is  far  easier  to  make  a  law 


This  certifies  that 

Because    of   best    conduct    during    the    week    ending    Friday 
is  entitled  to  become  the  Guest  of  the 

So^  Xlbeatre 

Saturday  afternoon 

School 

Grade 

Class TEACHER 

Figure  86. — Weekly  school  ticket. 


than  to  repeal  one.  There  is  no  longer  the  vital 
necessity  for  safeguarding  the  child,  for  the  houses 
that  were  a  menace  to  morality  and  health  have  either 
been  abandoned  or  have  passed  into  other  and  more 
intelligent  management.  If  there  is  merely  a  city  ordi- 
nance it  should  be  easy  to  secure  a  repeal.  A  state 
law  will  require  a  state  wide  movement.  The  law  re- 
quiring a  matron  to  be  in  charge  is  a  compromise 
measure  that  has  its  good  points  and  should  not  be 
too  strenuously  fought.  A  matron  will  be  useful  in 
preserving  order  and  it  is  often  a  good  plan  to  employ 
a  matron  even  where  none  is  required. 


242  PICTURE   THK'VTRE   ADVERTISING 

Whatever  the  condition  may  be,  make  your  appeal 
as  strongly  as  possible  to  the  child.  Provide  teachers 
with  good  conduct  tickets  to  be  given  out  on  Fri- 
day as  a  reward  for  good  behavior.  Limit  the  number 
of  tickets  to  two,  three  or  five  to  a  class.  The  wording 
is  given  in  Figure  86.  The  cards  are  to  be  filled  in  with 
the  pupil's  name  for  the  moral  efifect  on  the  child. 

Where  the  law  requires,  the  words  "accompanied 
by  an  adult"  may  be  added  as  is  shown  in  the  daily 
ticket  in  Figure  87.     This  is  one  given  to  all  teachers 


This  certifies  that  for 

GOOD     CONDUCT 

Is  entitled   to   attend   the    4:30    Matinee   at   the   Gem   Theatre, 
this  day   only,   if  accompanied   by   an  adult  as   required   by   law. 


not  good  when 

O 
punched  here 

Figure  87. — Daily  school  ticket. 

in  a  school  close  to  the  theatre  and  five  were  awarded 
to  the  members  of  each  class  every  day.  The  tickets 
were  printed  up  in  six  different  colors,  the  colors 
being  changed  each  month.  They  were  surcharged 
with  the  date  by  means  of  figures,  large  rubber 
stamps  of  the  sort  used  to  print  signs  with.  A  set, 
including  letters  and  figures  may  be  purchased  for 
half  a  dollar  and  put  to  many  other  uses.  Each  noon 
the  sets  of  tickets  were  prepared  and  sent  over  to  the 
school  and  addressed  to  each  teacher.  These  were 
left  with  the  clerk.  Teachers  and  clerk,  very  naturally, 
held  season  tickets.  The  tickets  were  punched  and 
returned  to  the  pupils  to  be  taken  home  as  an  evi- 
dence of  good  behavior. 

Children  will  work  harder  to  earn  theatre  tickets 
than  for  any  other  form'  of  prize,  and  the  teachers 


VARIOUS    SCHEMES  243 

and  parents  alike  came  to  approve  this  aid  to  good 
conduct.  Go  to  some  little  expense  to  make  the  card 
look  important.  It  will  suffer  hard  usage  in  tiny 
pockets  and  you  want  to  get  it  to  the  parent  still  look- 
ing fairly  presentable.  Use  a  shaded  type  and  a  neat 
border.  Do  not  load  it  down  with  stock  ornaments. 
It  is  a  certificate;  not  a  picture  book..  Use  some  care 
in  the  selection  of  the  type  and  border  and  get  a  reason- 
ably god  stock,  not  a  heavy,  enameled  card,  but  good 
quality. 

It  is  better  to  send  the  cards  each  day  instead  of 
weekly  or  monthly  lots  that  there  may  be  no  con- 
fusion. Tickets  should  be  sent  all  grade  schools  in 
the  towns  and  to  the  nearby  schools  only  in  the  cities. 
Do  nothing  without  first  consulting  the  principal. 
Post  yourself  on  educational  subjects  before  you  talk 
with  him  and  then  do  not  pompously  lecture  him,  but 
tell  your  facts  interestingly  and  conversationally.  It 
may  be  possible  to  interest  him,  if  your  house  is  close 
at  hand,  in  sending  certain  classes  down  to  see  films 
that  supplement  the  course  of  study.  Make  a  special 
effort  to  get  this  stuff  from  your  exchange  and  run  it 
without  charge,  preferably  in  the  morning  hours,  or 
so  time  it  that  it  can  be  run  just  before  the  class  is 
dismissed  for  the  lunch  hour.  You  can  imagine  the 
effect  of  the  class  filing  through  the  streets  to  the 
theatre  and  what  they  will  tell  when  they  go  home  to 
the  noon  meal. 

Do  not  argue  that  your  house  is  too  small  to  per- 
mit you  to  do  these  things.  It  is  not.  If  your  ca- 
pacity is  limited  it  is  precisely  this  sort  of  work  that 
will  presently  bring  you  the  influence  and  the  capital 
to  enlarge.  Show  what  you  have  done.  Tell  what 
you  can  do.  Capital  will  be  interested.  Get  estab- 
lished with  the  school  and  the  church  and  your  posi- 
tion is  impregnable. 

Do  not  confine  your  connection  with  the  schools  to 
the  matters  that  so  intimately  relate  to  your  house. 
Enter  into  the  general  atmosphere.  If  there  is  an 
athletic  league,  offer  a  trophy  for  one  or  more  events, 


244  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

and  give  medals  each  year  to  those  who  win  the 
trophy.  If  the  school  has  a  football  eleven  or  a  base- 
ball nine,  give  them  a  benefit.  Let  them  sell  tickets 
and  either  give  it  all  or  pay  them  a  percentage,  per- 
haps half.  Some  towns  have  found  that  it  worked 
well  to  sell  the  tickets  at  a  slight  advance  and  let  the 
boys  merely  keep  the  sum  represented  by  the  advance, 
but  it  is  better  to  be  really  generous  if  you  are  going 
to  do  anything  at  all. 

If  you  want  to  see  a  real  return  for  your  effort  in 
immediate  money,  get  a  baseball  outfit  or  whatever 
it  is  that  will  appeal  to  the  boy  at  the  moment.  Put 
it  on  exhibition  in  the  window  of  the  store  from  which 


The  baseball  outfit  will  be  given  to  the  class  (or 
school,  as  desired)  having  the  greatest  number  of 
votes  at  the  special  matinee 

Saturday,  April  11th. 
At  11  A.  M. 
Fill  out  the  coupon  and  present  it  at  the  window 
when  you  purchase  your  ticket. 
Credit  one  vote  to  Class School  


Figure  88. — Class  contest  vote. 


it  was  purchased  and  back  up  with  a  card  announcing 
that  this  is  the  prize  in  the  inter-school  or  inter-class 
contest.  Then  get  out  a  circular  with  a  coupon  as  in 
Figure  88  at  the  bottom  and  distribute  to  the  schools. 
Get  into  the  limelight  apart  from  the  school  direct. 
Advertise  a  modified  marathon,  a  pushmobile  race,  a 
coaster  race,  relay  or  any  similar  scheme  and  have  the 
finish  line  in  front  of  your  house.  Time  the  event  so 
that  it  should  finish  just  before  the  commencement  of 
the  matinee.  Get  the  contestants  into  the  house  as 
soon  as  they  come  up,  and  their  friends  will  purchase 
tickets  to  follow  them  in.     If  they  need  to  wash  up. 


VARIOUS    SCHEMES  245 

have  a  dressing  room  provided  that  must  be  reached 
through  the  theatre,  and  do  not  let  them  linger  out- 
side. Announce  before  hand  that  prizes  will  be  pre- 
sented during  the  performance  and  you'll  get  the 
mothers  and  the  little  sisters.  Give  the  boys  promi- 
nent seats  for  the  show  and  then  present  the  prize 
while  the  band  plays  for  the  winners.  You  can  make 
it  a  regular  Saturday  attraction  with  a  "league"  and 
a  point  score  and  all  the  rest  and  even  in  the  cities 
there  are  some  sporting  editors  who  will  be  glad  to 
print  the  scores. 

Get  your  own  ball  team.  If  your  stafif  is  not  large 
enough,  you  can  at  least  back  some  clever  team 
named  after  the  house.  Let  them  store  their  stuff 
somewhere  in  the  house,  provide  them  with  uniforms 
or  at  least  shirts  and  caps.  Hire  the  star  pitcher  as 
usher.  Play  the  games  through  summer  in  the  after- 
noons and,  if  necessary,  close  the  house  and  hang  out 
a  sign  advertising  the  fact  that  you  have  gone  to  the 
ball  game  along  with  the  rest  of  the  crowd.  There  is 
comparatively  little  business  in  the  summer  after- 
noons and  one  off  day  a  week  will  help  rather  than 
hurt.  Book  the  team  so  that  they  will  have  at  least 
an  even  chance.  A  losing  team  is  not  so  good  an  ad- 
vertisement. 

There  is  less  interest  in  minor  football,  but  a  basket 
ball  five  in  the  winter  is  a  good  thing.  Keep  it  strictly 
amateur.  The  love  of  clean  sport  is  inherent.  Be  a 
good  sportsman.  You  cannot  paste  your  sportsman- 
ship on  the  bill  boards,  but  you  can  put  it  into  the 
papers  and  you  can  become  known  as  one  of  the 
really  live  wires  in  your  section.  They  will  think  of 
tlie  house  if  they  think  of  you  and  think  well  of  the 
house  if  they  think  well  of  you. 

But  let  schools  and  sports  be  but  a  part  of  your 
activities.  Get  after  the  church  workers.  If  you  do 
not  care  to  work  the  contest  scheme  for  churches,  you 
can  let  them  have  books  of  tickets  to  sell.  They  can 
get  into  homes  with  direct  appeal  that  you  cannot 
reach  with  personal  letters.     They'll  sell  their  tickets 


246  PICTURE  THEATRE  ADVERTISING 

and  make  new  patrons  for  you.  The  tickets  should  be 
limited  to  three  months  and  the  society  or  church 
should  get  at  least  twenty-five  per  cent.  For  a  short, 
sharp  campaign  of  a  week  or  two  make  it  fifty-fifty. 

If  you  have  a  propaganda  film,  go  to  the  supporting 
element  in  your  town.    This  may  mean  the  physicians, 
the  suffragettes,  the  Red  Cross  or  the  mill  workers. 
Whatever  it  is,  get  busy  with  societies  or  labor  unions. 
Ask  them  if  they  want  to  sell  the  house  for  you  and 
take  all  above  a  certain  sum  that  will  show  you  your 
profit.    Make  your  profit.    That  is  what  you  are  rung- 
ning  a  theatre  for,  and  you  are  entitled  to  it,  but  if 
they  want  to  build  up  with  extra  advertising  and  spe- 
cial efforts,  let  them  get  busy.     Let  them  have  a  rep- 
resentative  in  the  box  office.     Put  a  greeters'  com- 
mittee on  the  door  with  sashes  or  badges  or  let  them 
serve  as  ushers.     They  see  only  the  money  they  will 
make.     You  get  your  extra  return  in  the  number  of 
persons  who  have  not  known  your  house  intimately 
before.     You  make  your  small  regular  profit  and  you 
get  the  endorsement  of  the  right  sort  of  people.     Do 
not  limit  this  or  the  church  scheme  to  the  matinees. 
Make  it  cover  the  night  performance  as  well.     They 
can  sell  but  a  limited  number  of  matinee  tickets,  and 
so  there  will  be  only  a  half-hearted  campaign.     Make 
it  for  the  nights  as  well  and  add  to  your  regular  night 
patronage.    They  will  do  a  thousand  dollars  worth  of 
press  work  for  you  to  add  a  hundred  dollars  to  the 
church  fund. 

More  than  half  the  fight  is  to  get  the  prospect  into 
the  house  the  first  time.  If  you  can  do  that  and  have 
the  right  sort  of  house,  the  rest  will  be  easy. 

Working  from  another  angle,  get  after  the  social 
trade.  Popularize  box  parties.  Get  hold  of  some 
clever  woman  who  is  in  with  the  smart  set  more  be- 
cause she  belongs,  than  because  of  her  money.  Get 
her  to  start  the  ball  rolling  by  giving  a  couple  of 
parties.  If  you  can  reach  some  of  the  leaders  the 
rest  will  follow  like  sheep.  If  you  can  get  in  touch 
with  the  woman  who  does  society  for  the  local  paper, 


VARIOUS    SCHEMES  247 

she  will  be  just  the  person.  She  can  write  up  the 
affairs  in  advance  and  after  they  have  happened  and 
this  is  what  most  persons  are  after. 

Get  some  dainty  souvenir  for  the  women.  If  you 
can  get  hold  of  some  really  nice  cover  stock  let  the 
local  printer  run  these  off  for  you  in  small  quantities 
with  the  special  card  given  in  Figure  89.  Don't  buy 
too  much  of  any  one  stock.  See  if  you  cannot  get 
odds  and  ends  from  the  printer  or  paper  warehouse. 


SOUVENIR 

•  OF  THE  THEATRE   PARTY 

TO 

MISS    JANE    SMITH 

BY 

MISS  MURIEL    BROWN 

AT  THE 
JOYLAND  THEATRE 

MONDAY,    MARCH    10.    1916 

Figure  89. — Cover  for  souvenir  program. 


Never  repeat  the  covers  in  color  and  material.  You  will 
not  need  much  of  any  one  kind  and  small  lots  will 
cost  you  more,  but  it  will  be  worth  it.  Never  print 
these  in  black  ink.  Use  colors.  Slip  these  on  your 
regular  program  or  a  special  slip  printed  for  the  day. 
If  you  know  in  advance,  you  can  have  the  type  lifted 
from  the  regular  run  when  it  comes  from  the  press 
and  a  few  sheets  run  off  on  a  job  press.  It  will  cost 
something,  but  look  what  you  get  for  it.  Do  not  an- 
nounce these  in  advance,  but  send  them  down  to  the 
box  or  seats  after  the  party  is  settled.  Give  one  to 
each  member  of  the  party  and  if  there  are  any  left  over 
save  one  for  yourself  and  send  the  others  around  to 
the  hostess  the  next  morning. 


248  PICTURE   THK\TRE    ADVERTISING 

In  some  sections  where  auto  busses  meet  the  trains 
and  are  not  working  about  theatre  time,  it  might  be 
possible  to  arrange  to  use  the  bus  and  have  it  under- 
stood that  a  party  of  a  certain  number,  speaking  far 
enough  in  advance,  w^ill  be  called  for.  Make  this  a 
matter  of  advertisement  or  pass  the  word  privately 
as  seems  best. 

If  there  is  a  school  of  music  or  of  acting  in  your 
town,  let  them  have  the  auditoriums  in  the  mornings 
at  a  small  rental.  Build  up  on  this  by  letting  them 
appear  at  a  matinee  or  evening  performance  to  gain 
familiarity  with  public  performances.  If  little  Birdie 
Smith  is  going  to  play  at  your  house  Friday,  her  family 
and  friends  to  the  tenth  remove  will  all  be  there  on 
paid  tickets.  But  be  certain  that  Birdie  will  be  able 
to  entertain.  If  she  fails  of  success  and  a  rude  audi- 
ence laughs  at  her,  it  will  be  you  and  not  Birdie  who 
will  be  responsible  in  the  opinions  of  her  friends.  This 
proposition  should  be  handled  with  extreme  care,  but 
if  it  can  be  worked  it  will  bring  in  money. 

With  the  spread  of  the  topical  film  and  the  news 
weeklies,  the  locally  owned  motion  picture  camera  .is 
getting  more  common.  Try  making  your  own  produc- 
tion. It  has  been  done  and  with  success.  Offer  ten 
dollars  for  the  best  script.  Put  the  local  players  in 
and  use  as  many  as  you  can.  Get  a  script  with  a  couple 
of  scenes  showing  a  crowd.  Advertise  that  at  a  cer- 
tain hour  Saturday  you  will  make  these  scenes  in 
some  convenient  place.  There  will  be  a  mob  there. 
They  cannot  act,  but  all  who  get  into  the  picture  will 
come  and  bring  their  friends.  In  cutting  the  film  let 
the  mob  run  well  down  instead  of  flashing.  Give  the 
volunteer  players  plenty  of  time  (say  30  feet)  to  look 
for  themselves. 

Don't  advertise  that  you'll  help  authors  dispose  of 
their  scripts.  Some  Exhibitors  have  and  always  to 
their  sorrow.  Be  willing  to  help  authors  but  do  not 
try  to  create  interest  by  creating  authors.  Few  will 
make  good,  even  after  study,  and  most  of  them  will 
stop  studying  and  blame  you. 


VARIOUS    SCHEMES  249 

Give  away  a  baby.  Advertise  that  on  a  certain  day, 
well  in  advance,  you  will  give  a  baby  to  a  person  to  be 
decided  upon.  Make  a  big  display  of  the  fact  in  your 
advertisements.  If  no  one  else  does,  get  some  friend 
of  yours  to  write  the  papers  denouncing  the  inhu- 
manity of  the  act.  Let  them  speculate  on  the  ultimate 
fate  of  so  unfortunate  a  child.  Write  the  sort  of  letter 
that  will  coax  others  to  come  in  on  the  same  lines. 
Offer  a  brief  reply  over  your  own  signature  to  the 
effect  that  the  baby  will  not  mind  and  its  mother  is 
perfectly  indifferent.  Assume  an  injured  innocence 
tone  as  though  giving  babies  away  has  been  a  regular 
feature  with  you  and  you  are  surprised  that  any  should 
object.  Some  may  see  a  joke  coming,  but  many  will 
stay  wrought  up.  If  you  can  have  police  interference,  so 
much  the  better.  Come  out  on  the  stage  and  let  a 
policeman  rise  in  the  audience  and  threaten  you  with 
arrest.  Make  a  speech  in  your  own  defense  and  then 
bring  on  the  baby — a  suckling  pig  dressed  in  long 
clothes. 

A  wedding  on  the  stage  is  a  time  honored  device 
because  most  people  like  to  watch  others  getting  into 
trouble.  Some  theatres  have  a  standing  offer  of  five 
or  ten  dollars  to  any  couple  willing  to  be  married  on 
the  stage  any  Friday  night.  This  is  good  only  for 
the  lesser  houses.  It  cheapens  the  tone  of  the  theatre, 
but  the  motion-pictured  wedding  of  some  well  known 
couple  is  another  matter  entirely  and  where  a  camera 
is  available  it  can  be  worked  very  nicely. 

Pie-eating  contests,  melon-eating  contests  and  kin- 
dred entertainment  are  sometimes  found  to  work  well, 
but  it  will  not  be  of  permanent  advantage  in  the 
long  run.  You  will  get  your  patrons  demanding  a 
new  idea  each  evening.  Starting  in  with  Friday  night 
you  will  perhaps  run  an  amateur  night.  Finding  that 
it  draws  some  business  you  may  bolster  Thursday 
with  a  rag  time  contest  and  so  on  until  you  reach  a 
point  where  the  greatest  novelty  you  can  offer  will  be 
a  straight  showing  of  pictures.  Use  schemes  away 
from  your  house,  and  make  them  schemes  that  will 


250  PICTURE  THEATRE  ADVERTISING 

attract  general  interest.  Within  your  house  keep  the 
entertainment  dignified  and  in  harmony  with  the  bet- 
ter class  of  pictures.  Do  not  clown  your  program 
with  imitation  amateurs,  battles  royal  or  anything  of 
that  sort.  Run  a  picture  theatre  and  run  pictures  in 
that  theatre.  If  you  run  the  right  sort  of  pictures  and 
advertise  them  attractively,  you  will  need  nothing  more 
than  an  appeal  to  local  interest  now  and  then.  There 
is  no  permanent  advantage  in  clap  trap.  It  may  pay 
for  a  moment,  but  it  will  run  the  house  down,  and 
presently  you  will  find  that  the  novelty  hunters  have 
driven  away  your  picture  loving  clientele  and  that  the 
intruders  have  lost  interest  as  well  and  are  staying 
away  because  vour  ideas  are  no  longer  novel. 


CHAPTER     XXVII. 
ADVERTISING   SPECIAL   SEASONS 

The  tickler — getting  suggestions — St.  Valentine's — 
Lincoln  and  Washington — Fourth  of  July — 
Christmas  matinees — Christmas  ticket  books — 
larming  local  celebrations. 

Every  Exhibitor  should  be  alert  to  take  advantage 
of  the  local  and  national  holidays.  It  is  not  possible 
to  sit  down  about  December  20th  and  decide  what 
you  are  going  to  do  for  Christmas.  It  should  already  have 
been  done  and  you  should  be  worrying  about  St.  Val- 
entine's Day  and  the  Lincoln  and  Washington  birth- 
days. You  need  a  tickler  and  a  file  as  suggested  in  an 
earlier  chapter. 

The  best  tickler  is  either  a  ten-cent  calendar  of  the 
sort  that  comes  with  a  week  to  the  page  and  about 
three  lines  to  each  day  or  else  a  book  of  the  same 
sort.    These  will  be  out  in  November  or  early  Decern- 


ADVERTISING   SPECIAL   SEASONS  251 

ber.  As  soon  as  you  get  it  enter  up  all  of  the  holi- 
days and  local  celebrations  you  can  think  of.  At 
least  these  fixed  dates  should  be  entered :  St.  Val- 
entine's, Lincoln's  and  Washington's  Birthdays,  St. 
Patrick's,  Memorial  Day,  Ash  Wednesday,  Good 
Friday  and  Easter  Sunday,  Fourth  of  July,  Labor 
Day,  Thanksgiving  Day,  Christmas  and  next  New 
Years. 

St.  Valentine's  Day  comes  on  February  14th.  Mark 
the  date  January  14th.  Mark  it  again  the  21st.  and 
put  a  question  mark  after  it.  If  you  forget  the  first 
week  you'll  remember  the  second.  Do  the  same  with 
the  other  days.  Use  the  calendar  as  a  general  re- 
minder of  things  to  be  done,  but  make  these  entries  in 
red  ink  and  the  others  in  black. 

Then  get  after  the  local  celebrations.  Get  these  all 
down.  Through  the  year  you'll  run  across  others. 
Mothers'  Day,  the  day  when  we  are  all  supposed  to 
eat  an  apple,  an  orange  or  a  handful  of  raisins.  Get 
them  all  down  on  the  calendar  and  make  copy  of  them. 
The  more  local  the  celebration,  the  better. 

Get  a  set  of  large  envelopes  or  one  of  those  paper 
cabinets  of  pasteboard  covered  with  black  cloth  and 
containing  a  dozen  drawers.  You  will  need  two,  but 
if  the  expense  is  too  great  you  can  do  precisely  as  well 
with  old  boxes  of  uniform  size  and  a  place  to  put 
them. 

Have  one  box  for  each  affair  and  put  into  this  every- 
thing that  in  any  way  relates  to  the  subject.  Along 
about  Christmas  you  will  find  in  your  local  papers, 
the  magazines  and  the  trade  papers  a  lot  of  sugges- 
tions for  Christmas  lines.  These  will  generally  come 
too  late  to  be  used  this  year,  so  cut  them  out  and  file 
them  away  in  your  Christmas  box.  Perhaps  it  is  some- 
thing you  can  turn  inside  out  and  use  for  the  Fourth 
of  July  in  its  new  form.  Put  it  away  in  both  boxes. 
All  through  the  year  be  just  as  watchful  for  Christ- 
mas stufif  as  you  are  for  all  of  the  other  celebrations 
and  let  nothing  get  by  you. 

Soon  your  calendar  tells  you  that  Lincoln's  Birth- 


252  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

day  is  February  12th,  and  that  two  days  later  St.  Val- 
entine'si  comes.  Look  in  the  Lincohi  box.  There  is 
a  suggestion  that  you  let  the  boys  declaim  the  Gettys- 
burg address;  a  prize  to  be  given  to  the  boy  who  does 
it  best,  according  to  the  audience.  Let  one  boy  be 
selected  from  each  school  or  school  class.  That  means 
a  talk  with  the  teachers  and  a  note  to  the  principal. 
Another  note  tells  you  that  you  have  not  had  the 
V.itagraph  film  of  the  same  subject.  That  is  your  cue 
to  write  your  exchange.  Another  note  gives  the  ad- 
dress of  a  firm  making  tiny  statuettes  of  Lincoln  and 
selling  them  at  a  price  that  will  make  it  possible  to 
give  these  as  souvenirs.  There  are  any  quantity  of 
catchlines,  Lincoln  stories,  titles  of  films  showing 
Lincoln,  with  the  name  of  the  company  and  date  of 
release,  and  perhaps  a  cut  you've  picked  up  somewhere. 
Instead  of  having  to  hustle  to  find  something,  you 
have  it  all  there  at  hand  as  the  result  of  our  leisurely 
work  through  the  year. 

Perhaps  the  Valentine  box  shows  you  a  prose  poem 
from  a  comic  paper  set  in  the  shape  of  a  heart  and 
pinned  to  this  is  a  synopsis  of  a  charming  film  romance 
that  would  fit  nicel}^  You  write  the  exchange  and 
find  that  you  can  have  the  reel  on  the  proper  day,  so 
you  paste  the  synopsis  on  a  sheet  of  paper,  pin  the 
poem  to  it  and  mark  "set  like  this,  three  inches  wide." 
Add  a  note  to  the  foreman  that  he  can  take  his  time 
and  give  it  to  you  any  time  in  the  next  two  weeks. 

Meantime  you  are  looking  up  some  small  heart- 
shaped  seals  of  gummed  red  paper.  Your  stationer 
does  not  keep  them,  but  you  tell  him  where  they  can 
be  had,  in  preference  to  sending  your  order  direct. 
You  also  arrange  for  some  valentine  envelopes  in  bulk, 
get  some  card  stock  and  are  ready  with  special  adver- 
tising for  your  mail  list.  The  printer  has  his  copy  so 
far  in  advance  that  the  work  can  be  done  carefully 
and  when  some  man  is  not  busy.  The  envelopes  can 
be  addressed  without  hurr}^  and  you  have  plenty  of 
other  material  with  which  to  prepare  your  copy  well 
in  advance. 


ADVERTISING    SPECIAL   SEASONS  253 

Next  week  you  worry  about  Washington.  You  find 
that  last  year  some  brother  Exhibitor  gave  prizes  for 
the  best  essays  on  Washington.  You  give  the  pupils 
two  weeks'  notice  of  your  own  intention,  arrange  for  a 
judge  and  buy  some  bunting  and  a  print  of  the  patriot 
with  which  to  decorate  the  box  in  which  the  prize  win- 
ners will  sit.  You  have  not  been  put  to  the  least 
bother,  you  have  your  plans  all  made  without  resort 
to  the  telegraph  to  save  time.  You  have  only  to  use 
it  once  to  realize  what  a  tremendous  aid  it  is. 

Do  not  put  in  a  few  clippings  and  feel  that  you  have 
enough.  Put  in  everything  you  can  find  and  feel  that 
you  never  can  have  enough.  Think  of  ideas  of  your 
own  to  supplement  the  ideas  of  others.  See  if  you 
cannot  combine  two  old  ideas  into  one  new  one. 

Make  much  of  small  affairs.  Perhaps  your  state 
has  an  Arbor  Day.  Perhaps  it  is  not  much  observed. 
Put  it  on  the  map  again.  See  the  editor  and  get  him 
to  write  an  article.  Start  it  off,  perhaps,  with  a  letter 
to  the  paper,  to  which  editorial  comment  may  be 
added.  Then,  in  your  advertisements,  address  a  note 
to  the  parents.  Ask  them  to  interest  the  kiddies.  An- 
nounce that  you  will  give  ten  dollars  in  three  prizes 
to  the  registered  trees  that  thrive  the  best  in  the  com- 
ing year.  If  there  is  a  nursery  in  your  town  or  near 
you,  offer  to  give  them  some  free  slide  advertising  if 
they  will  sell  single  trees  at  quantity  prices. 

Get  the  school  principal  to  hold  a  celebration  in  the 
theatre.  If  he  will  not,  then  hold  your  own  after 
school  hours.  Get  some  minister  or  lawyer  to  make 
a  speech.  Get  some  educational  stuff  showing  the 
logging  industry  and  the  big  trees  of  California. 
Write  the  Department  of  Agriculture  and  the  State 
Forrester,  if  there  is  one.  They  can  give  you  ma- 
terial and  perhaps  provide  or  suggest  a  speaker. 

Make  a  little  speech  yourself.  Tell  what  trees  mean 
to  the  country.  Ask  the  children  who  have  planted 
trees  to  raise  their  hands.  Then  tell  them  to  register 
the  trees  as  they  go  out.  At  the  door  have  blanks  and 
pen  and   ink   or   pencil.     A  blank   is   suggested   in    Fig- 


254 


PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


Lire  30.  This  has  a  stub  which  is  torn  off  and  kept 
by  the  child.  The  stub  and  ticket  are  numbered  in 
dupHcate  and  consecutively.  The  stub  is  retained  by 
the  child  and  the  ticket  is  handed  in.  Have  these 
tickets  checked  up  within  a  week.  Next  year,  about 
a  week  before  the  celebration,  have  some  competent 
person  look  up  the  trees  and  prepare  a  list  of  the  win- 
ners. Some  of  the  children  will  forget  and  let  the 
trees  die,  but  most  of  them  will  be  watched.  Those 
that  are  will  be  permanent  advertisements. 


No 

No 

Arbor 

Arbor  Day 

Day 

Manager,   Gem  Theatre: 

1915 

I  have  this  day  planted  a  tree  at 

Gem 
Theatre 

GIVE    LOCATION    OF   TREE    CLEARLY 

Name 

Address 

Figure  90. — Arbor  Day  Registration. 


Make  photographs  of  some  of  the  best  trees  and 
show  these  in  slides  at  the  anniversary  and  do  this 
each  year  for  a  time. 

Perhaps  your  town  has  or  should  have  some  purely 
local  celebration.  What  was  the  date  of  its  founding? 
What  national  character  was  born  or  lived  there? 
When  was  it  incorporated?  Get  the  board  of  trade 
interested.  Make  it  something  more  than  your  own  cele- 
bration. Let  the  whole  town  in  on  it.  If  it  is  in  the 
summer  have  a  field  day.     If  it  is  winter  handle  an 


ADVERTISING   SPECIAL   SEASONS  255 

indoor  celebration.  You  can  do  something  to  draw 
the  country  people  into  town  and  make  money  and 
get  great  credit  at  the  asme  time,  as  well  as  keeping 
out  all  the  store  keepers. 

The  Lenten  season  should  remind  you  of  things  that 
will  help  business  along  in  Lent,  perhaps  a  series  of 
subjects  specially  approved  by  the  local  ministers. 
You  can  make  the  theatre  a  place  of  religious  instruc- 
tion instead  of  a  place  of  entertainment  at  least  one 
day  a  week  with  problem  or  sermon  stories  that  are 
interestingly  prepared,  perhaps  the  Kalem  Ten  Com- 
mandments, the  Gaumont  petitions  of  the  Lord's 
Prayer  or  similar  material.  For  Holy  Week  there  are 
several  vesions  of  the  Passion  Play,  but  do  not  do  as 
some  Exhibitos  have  done  in  the  past,  and  seek  to 
lighten  these  with  the  broadest  kind  of  farce  comedy. 

For  Memorial  Day  offer  flags  to  be  worn  or  car- 
ried, get  some  patriotic  or  G.  A.  R.  films  and  perhaps 
hold  exercises.. 

For  the  Fourth  of  July  you  can  have  fire  crackers 
or  roman  candles  for  advertising  matter.  The  former 
are  merely  advertisements  rolled  small  and  provided 
with  a  string  fuse,  then  wrapped  in  red  paper.  The 
roman  candles  are  a  little  more  touble.  Provide  six- 
inch  lengths  of  half-inch  dowel,  soaked  in  oil  and 
wiped  off,  and  strips  of  any  cheap  wrapping  paper 
five  by  ten  inches.  Paste  these  with  boiled  flour  paste, 
made  rather  thick,  and  roll  them  into  cyhnders  on  the 
dowel.  The  oil  prevents  the  paste  adhering,  and  if 
the  cylinder  has  not  been  tightly  rolled  the  dowel  can 
be  slipped  out.  Do  not  pile  them  too  high  on  one 
another  or  they  will  flatten  out.  When  they  are  dry 
slip  small  advertisements  into  the  tubes  and  covei 
v^ith  cheap  covered  news.  It  sounds  like  a  lot  of 
trouble,  but  four  or  five  boys  working  under  the  super- 
vision of  an  older  person  can  make  several  hundred 
tubes  in  an  afternoon  and  fill  and  wrap  them  in 
another.  They  are  enough  of  a  novelty  to  be  worth 
the  small  trouble. 


256  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Souvenirs  for  Thanksgiving  will  quickly  suggest 
themselves,  but  there  is  the  widest  range  offered  around 
Christmas  time  and  this  is  a  bad  period  in  that  busi- 
ness will  be  hurt  by  the  Christmas  shopping. 

Establish  a  branch  post  office  to  Santa  Claus  Land 
with  one  of  the  Claus  boys  or  Mrs.  Claus  in  charge. 
Let  the  kiddies  write  to  Santa  and  tell  their  wants, 
giving  their  name  and  address,  that  there  may  be  no 
mistake.  Then  address  these  to  the  mothers  of  the 
children,  enclosing  a  really  handsome  Christmas  card 
to  be  added  to  the  otheii  gifts.  If  you  cannot  find 
room  for  a  branch  office  you  can  at  least  set  up  a  mail 
box  and  announce  that  reindeer  collections  are  made 
each  night. 


FREE    MATINEE   FOB   CHrLDBEN    CHBIST3IAS 

In  accordance  with  our  usual  custom  of  remembering  the  chil- 
dren on  Xmas  we  will  this  year  vary  from  our  former  system 
of  giving  candy,  and  will  give  a  Free  Matinee  for  all  children 
under  12  years  of  age,  provided  they  call  and  get  their  Free 
Admission  tickets  before  that  day.  They  will  be  on  distribution 
at  the  box  office  on  Monday  and  Tuesday,  Dec.  23  and  24,  and 
at  no  other  time.  None  will  be  given  away  on  Christmas  Day. 
These  Free  tickets  must  be  secured  in  advance.  They  are  not 
good  for  admission  any  other  day  or  evening. 

Figure  91. — Christmas  Matinee  Announcement. 


The  Christmas  matinee  is  a  good  idea.  This  is  a 
free  morning  performance  with  all  comedies  or  light 
but  spirited  dramas,  not  much  shooting,  but  plenty  of 
action.  One  big-hearted  Exhibitor  g-ives  a  special  per- 
formance at  11  o'clock  on  Christmas  Day  for  the  chil- 
dren of  the  poor.  No  admissions  are  required  and 
each  child  is  given  a  simple  toy  and  some  candy  on 
leaving.  Another  Exhibitor  gives  a  series  of  matinees 
the  week  before  Christmas,  the  admission  to  which  is 
some  candy,  an  orange  or  anything  that  may  be  given 
the  less  fortunate  children.  Admission  to  the  per- 
formance for  poor  children  may  be  by  tickets  distrib- 
uted through  the  police  or  the  aid  societies.  Admis- 
sion to  the  complimentary  matinee  should  be  by  ticket, 


ADVERTISING    SPECIAL   SEASONS  257 

and  N.  E.  Chaney  shrewdly  requires  the  tickets  to  be 
applied  for  in  advance.  The  advantage  of  having  the 
children  apply  in  person  on  days  v^hen  they  are  prob- 
ably not  in  school  is  obvious.  His  announcement  forms 
Figure  91. 

Business  will  be  good,  "after  Christmas,"  but  that 
will  not  pay  for  current  expenses,  and  it  is  a  good 
plan  to  go  after  business  in  the  dull  time,  and  at  least 
borrow  from  the  coming  boom.    Get  after  the  holiday 


This  solves  the  present  problem ! 

What  would  be  more   highly  prized   for   Christmas   than   a 

Vaudette  Coupon  Ticket  Book 

We  have  them  for  fifty  cents,  one  and  two  dollars 


Ask  Santa  Claus 

to  bring  yon  a 

Coupon  Book 

of 

Vaudette  Tickets 


Figure  92. — ^Card  (upper)  and  Slide  (lower) 
for  Coupon  Tickets. 


business  by  offering  ticket  books  for  presents.  Start 
in  early  with  a  card  that  reads  as  in  Figure  93.  A 
slide  for  the  screen  is  included  in  the  same  figure. 
They  are  to  be  worked  together,  the  card  to  parents 
and  others  and  the  slide  to  reach  the  children  direct. 

Get  after  the  merchants  and  employers  of  labor 
with  a  form  letter,  but  personally  written,  that  reads : 

Let  us  solve  your  problem  for  you.  You  want  to 
give  your  employees  a  present,  and  each  year  you 
have  to  study  up  something  that  will  be  suitable  for 
all,   because   you    cannot    "play    favorites-"      Here    is 


258  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

something  that  will  appeal  to  all  from  the  gray  haired 
old  bookkeeper  to  the  littliest  office  boy:  A  book  of 
coupon  tickets  for  the  Vaudette  Theutre.  Six  admis- 
sion; tickets,  good  except  on  feature  nights,  for  fifty 
cents.  Twelve  admissions  for  one  dollar  or  twenty- 
five  in  the  two-dollar  book.  The  two-dollar  books  look 
like  five  dollars  at  least,  and  will  be  as  highly  valued. 
In  lots  of  twenty-five  or  more  we  will  quote  you 
special  prices  and  put  your  imprint  on  the  books. 

Get  up  an  attractive  cover  and  have  extra  front 
covers  printed  that  you  may  send  out  as  samples. 
Use  some  such  wording  as  in  Figure  93.     Get  a  pretty 


Not  only  a 

Merry  Christmas 

But  twenty-five  happy  visits  to 

Pleasureland 
From 


Figure  93. — -Imprint  for  Christmas  Gift  Books. 

holiday  border,  but  be  wary  of  the  Christmas  decora- 
tors, not  many  of  which  are  in  good  taste.  Get  out 
something  that  looks  all  it  costs.  Use  bond  paper  and 
have  but  a  single  ticket  to  a  sheet  instead  of  a  slim 
book  with  three  to  six  meagre  coupons  to  the  page. 
Have  the  sheets  an  inch  and  a  half  by  three  and  a 
half  inches,  the  tickets  only  three  inches  long  with 
perforating  rule  to  permit  them  to  be  torn  out.  Then, 
when  there  is  a  request  to  show  the  books,  bring  out 
the  set.  The  two-dollar  book  will  then  look  so  much 
fatter  and  better  than  the  dollar  book  that  you  can 
influence  a  sale  for  the  higher  price  because  it  looks 
like  so  much  more  money. 

In  addition   to   the  merchants  and   employers,  get 
after    the   music   teachers,   and   the   Sunday   Schools. 


ADVERTISING   SPECIAL   SEASONS  259 

Offer  the  merchant  a  special  price  on  books  of  ten 
tickets,  good  at  matinees  only,  to  be  given  his  cus- 
tomers instead  of  the  inevitable  calendar.  Arrange  to 
run  his  advertisement  on  the  back  if  he  will  buy  a 
hundred  or  more.  Limit  the  general  tickets  to  three 
months  and  the  special  merchants's  tickets  to  two 
months.  The  books  of  twenty-five  tickets  should  have 
a  longer  life.  All  tickets  should  expressly  and  explicitly 
state  that  they  are  not  good  for  feature  performances 
at  advanced  prices  without  payment  of  the  difference, 
or  make  it  two  tickets  for  the  features. 

Whether  you  have  a  downtown  or  a  neighborhood 
house  make  an  effort  to  get  some  of  the  shopping 
money.  Boom  the  house  as  a  cure  for  that  tired  feel- 
ing. Use  something  like  the  copy  in  Figure  94.  Use 
it  in  your  advertisements  and  as  a  special  card  or 
circular.  Start  in  in  the  latter  part  of  November  and 
run  it  right  through  to  Christmas  eve.  It  may  make 
some  business  for  you  that  would  not  otherwise  be 
available  and  many  may  thank  you  for  the  suggestion. 

Early        Christmas  Shopping         Late 

No  matter  whether  you  do  your  Christmas  Shopping  early  or 
late,  it  is  bound  to  be  fatiguing.  You  must  suit  so  many  varied 
tastes  and  plan  so  hard  to  make  your  appropriation  go  as  far  as 
possible  that,  pleasant  as  the  duty  is,  it  is  also  an  ordeal  that  is 
dreaded 

Shop  in  the  morning  before  the  stores  are  crowded.  Then 
drop  into  the  comfortable  restful  atmosphere  of  the  Gem  and  let 
your  tense  nerves  relax  under  the  influence  of  good  music,  good 
pictures  and  quiet      You'll  go  out  feeling  fine  and  fit 

It  is  a  mental  tonic  that  is  good  the  year  round,  but  that  is 
especially  appreciated  at  the  busy   Christmas  time. 

Figure  94. — Advertisement  to   Christmas  shoppers. 


One  season  that  is  peculiarly  local  is  the  annivers- 
ary. Some  Exhibitors  have  two  or  three  a  year,  but 
this  is  a  bad  habit  to  get  into.  One  is  best  and  cer- 
tainly not  more  than  two  should  be  used.  Other 
names  should  be  found  for  the  others. 

Generally  the  anniversary  takes  the  form  of  a  gala 
week.  The  bills  are  strengthened  and  perhaps  the 
prices  are  raised.     The  front  of  the  house  is  dressed 


260  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

vwith  bunting  and  the  interior  is  decorated,  flags  and 
potted  plants  being  used.  There  may  be  a  more  or 
less  elaborate  souvenir;  perhaps  an  unsunally  attrac- 
tive program  with  an  historical  sketch  of  the  house  and  a 
half  tone  of  the  front  or  interior. 

This  is  the  cut  and  dried  routine.  It  works  well 
and  it  makes  money  for  the  Exhibitor  and  everyone 
is  pleased,  but  more  may  be  done  to  emphasize  the 
permanency  of  the  house,  even  though  .  not  so  much 
money  may  be  made. 

One  Exhibitor,  on  his  first  anniversary,  advertised 
for  photographs  of  all  children  born  the  same  week 
the  house  came  into  being.  Where  the  birth  rate  is 
small,  the  month  may  be  used  instead,  but  it  is  well 
not  to  get  too  many  babies.  The  pictures  served  as 
the  foundation  for  a  souvenir  booklet,  cuts  being  made 
of  all  the  kiddies,  and  when  the  photographs  were 
returned  to  the  parents  a  good  quality  baby  spoon 
accompanied  each.  Each  year  since  then  the  kiddies 
have  been  photographed  to  show  their  growth  as  com- 
pared with  the  latest  and  finest  baby  of  them  all — the 
house  itself.  The  scheme  is  varied,  one  year  a  group 
oicture  being  made  and  another  lantern  slides  take  the 
place  of  cuts,  but  always  there  is  this  feature  of  cele- 
bration and  a  small  gift  to  the  children.  Being  done 
in  a  small  town  the  feature  attracts  attention  out  of  all 
proportion  to  the  cost. 

One  year  a  neighborhood  manager  begged  all  of 
his  regular  patrons  to  be  sure  and  come  to  the  exact 
anniversary  night.  That  night  he  gave  the  ticket 
seller  and  the  doorman  box  seats  to  see  the  show, 
stood  on  door  himself  and  made  all  welcome  when 
they  tried  to  spend  their  money.  The  next  year  the 
ticket  seller  was  on  duty  and  busy,  but  souvenirs 
that  cost  a  large  part  of  the  admission  money,  were 
given  without  previous  announcement.  The  Ex- 
hibitor knew  that  a  lot  of  persons  who  did  not  belong 
would  try  to  get  in  free,  and  these  were  discouraged 
by  the  fact  that  admission  was  not  free. 

At  another  house   medals  were  given   in  the  form 


ADVERTISING    SPECIAL   SEASONS  261 

of  pocket  pieces  with  the  promise  tliat  they  would  be 
accepted  for  admission  a  year  later.  Few  of  the  coins 
were  presented  for  redemption,  but  many  were  shown 
with  the  statement  that  money  could  not  buy  the 
lucky  piece.  These  were  passed  in  and  permitted  to 
retain  the  coin  as  well.  All  of  the  year  these  tokens 
had  been  working  and  their  work  has  not  yet  been 
finished. 

One  good  plan  is  to  issue  a  coupon  ticket  good  for 
the  entire  week.  These  are  sold  for  the  price  of  four 
or  five  admissions.  This  ensures  crowded  houses, 
no  matter  what  the  weather,  and  cuts  down  the 
crowd  around  the  window,  offering  less  discourage- 
ment to  those  who  feel  that  a  crowd  at  the  box  office 
means  no  seats  inside.  The  tickets  should  be  sold 
the  previous  weel<. 

One  day  out  of  anniversary  week  is  the  actual  an- 
niversary of  the  opening  and  this  should  be  specially 
marked  by  souvenir  or  otherwise  and  if  possible  by 
a  few  very  brief  speeches,  not  long  enough  to  be 
tiresome,  and  not  long  enough  to  seriously  inter- 
rupt the  performance.  Perhaps  the  orchestra  can 
be  augumented  for  this  occasion  and  a  very  extra  fea- 
ture given  at  a  plain  feature  price. 

The  underlying  idea  of  the  whole  thing  should  be 
good  will  and  thanksgiving  rather  than  money  grab- 
bing; for 'the  anniversary  that  is  made  the  occasion 
for  raised  prices  and  nothing  else  does  the  house  but 
little  good,  no  matter  what  the  takings  for  the  week. 
Make  it  an  occasion  for  good  will,  not  graft,  and  the 
anniversary   will    serve    its   best    purpose. 


262  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

HANDLING  SPECIALS  AND  SERIALS 

Sniping — course  tickets — free  showings — special  clubs 
— building  up  a  failure. 

Were  all  lilm  subjects  of  equal  value  to  the  Exhibitor, 
the  advertising  of  films  would  become  a  routine  and  per- 
functory matter,  but  so  long  as  films  shall  vary  in  length, 
importance  and  rental  values,  it  will  be  necessary  to  work 
harder  for  the  most  costly  subjects  and  rouse  greater 
interest  among  the  patrons  to  get  their  business  for  those 
days  of  showing. 

Time  was  when  a  two-part  story  was  a  feature  and 
the  three-part  story  was  nearly  a  sensation.  The  mere 
fact  that  the  story  was  considered  to  be  worth  two  or 
three  times  the  usual  length  was  a  sufficient  commenda- 
tion. 

In  those  days  the  problem  was  reasonably  simple  and 
cared  for  itself,  the  only  important  question  being  the 
state  of  the  weather.  This  was  solved  by  a  midwest 
Exhibitor  who  sold  tickets  at  a  reduction  for  the  advance 
sale  and  at  a  larger  price  if  purchased  the  night  of  show- 
ing. By  this  means  he  had  the  money  in  the  bank  in 
advance  and  could  write  his  rental  check  with  a  laugh 
no  matter  how  hard  it  might  rain  or  snow. 

Later  the  course  ticket  was  adopted  for  the  showing 
of  serials  and  the  general  advance  sale  has  become  more 
common.  The  advance  ticket  is  generally  a  hard  stock, 
good  enough  to  last  through  the  run  of  the  series,  and 
is  printed  with  boxed  in  numbers  at  the  bottom ;  one 
of  these  being  punched,  in  its  regular  order,  for  each 
showing.  It  is  thoughtful  to  enclose  these  in  a  stout 
manila  envelope  to  protect  them.    This  envelope  may  be 


HANDLING   SPECIALS    AND    SERIALS  263 

supplied  by  the  house  advertising  or  the  front  may  be 
sold  and  the  back  retained  by  the  house  or  both  sides 
may  be  sold  for  more  than  the  cost  of  the  envelopes. 
There  should  be  a  contract  as  to  the  use  of  the  ticket 
and  a  set  of  lines  on  the  back  for  the  name  and  address 
of  the  purchaser  for  safeguard  in  the  event  of  loss.  The 
names  and  addresses  should  be  listed  by  the  theatre  and 
a  new  ticket  should  be  issued  should  one  become  lost, 
the  old  ticket  being  taken  tip  at  the  door  should  it  be 
presented.  It  is  best  to  have  a  serial  number  stamped 
on  the  ticket  for  the  use  of  the  doorman  and  this  serial 
number  should  be  entered  with  the  name  and  address. 
It  is  not  necessary  to  start  with  number  one  or  adhere 
to  a  consecutive  numbering,  but  do  not  run  too  high  or 
skip  too  many  numbers.  Figure  95  shows  a  good  form 
of  ticket.  If  the  ticket  is  good  for  the  night  perform- 
ance it  should  be  so  stated  instead. 


MAPLEWOOD    THEATRE 

SOMEWHERE,    N.   Y. 

CouRSETicKET   ^^^  HORRORS  OF  HENRY 

In  consideration  of  the  reduced  price  at  which  this  ticket  is 
sold,  it  is  expressly  understood  and  agreed  by  the  purchaser  that 
this  shall  be  good  only  at  the  Matinee  performances  at  the 
Maplewood  Theatre  for  twelve  consecutive  Thursdays,  com- 
mencing Thursday,  March  5th,  and  for  no  other  times  or 
performances. 

(Cut  of  signature) 

Manager. 


1 

2 

3 

4 

S 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

Figure  95.— Form  of  course  ticket. 


Where  seats  are  reserved  it  is  necessary  only  to  en- 
close the  twelve  tickets  in  an  envelope  or  case.  In  their 
very  nature  they  show  themselves  to  be  tickets  good  only 
for   a    certain   performance.      If   there    are   two   shows 


264  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

nightly  use  different  colors  and  state  in  large  type  the 
hour  at  which  the  performance  commences  for  which 
this  ticket  is  available. 

In  handling  a  serial  or  any  large  feature  it  is  well  to 
work  for  an  advance  sale  as  far  ahead  as  possible,  not 
alone  because  the  patrons'  attendance  will  be  secured  for 
the  series,  but  because  there  will  be  less  tendency  to  save 
money  for  the  ticket  purchase.  With  the  ticket  paid  for, 
there  will  be  a  more  liberal  investment  in  amusements 
on  other  nights ;  a  trait  of  human  nature  it  is  well  to  note 
and  take  advantage  of. 

But  to  sell  course  tickets  you  will  first  need  to  start 
your  campaign  of  publicity.  As  soon  as  you  learn  of  a 
serial  that  you  intend  to  use,  make  your  contract.  Do 
not  advertise  first  and  then  obtain  a  contract.  Make 
certain  that  you  and  not  your  competitior  will  have  the 
attraction.  As  soon  as  the  contract  is  secured  begin  to 
snipe.  Get  out  a  strip  that  reads  merely  "The  Horrors 
of  Henry."  Run  the  same  thing  on  a  slide.  Use  it  after 
each  subject.  If  people  ask  you  about  it,  smile  know- 
ingly and  beg  them  to  wait.  You  are  not  permitted  to 
tell— yet. 

Get  posted  on  some  of  the  features  of  the  early  reels 
and  snipe  these  on  screen  and  street.  Hint  at  the  hor- 
rors.    Ask: 

Did  the  snakes  bite  Henry? 

Why  did  Henry  kill  Mordaunt? 

Was  Henry  to  blame  for  Ruth's  capture? 

How  did  Henry  escape  the  Fatal  Five? 

Get  as  many  more  of  these  as  you  can  use.  Put  them 
on  the  screen  to  connect  your  house  with  the  street 
work. 

After  a  few  days  of  sniping,  connect  your  house  more 
definitely  with  the  title.  Get  some  paper  if  it  is  ready 
and  strip  it  "Coming  Soon."  Get  some  in  the  shop 
windows.  Put  some  on  the  boards,  but  do  not  have  too 
much  in  the  lobby ;  not  more  than  a  couple  of  one-sheets 
or  a  three.  If  you  run  an  information  bulletin  of  the 
sort  described  in  Chapter  III,  run  in  a  new  item  each 
day.     Have  a  small  card  lettered  with  the  title  and  pin 


HANDLING    SPECIALS   AND    SERIALS  265 

all  notes  below  this.  Date  each  bulletin  and  have  four 
or  five  always  on  view  once  you  are  started,  removing  the 
oldest  to  make  room  for  the  new. 

If  you  stand  in  well  with  the  papers  get  them  to  run 
a  few  news  items.  Do  not  attempt  to  connect  the  house 
with  the  story.  Let  it  come  as  news.  Your  own  press 
work  and  readers  will  come  later  on.  Get  something 
like  this : 


New  York,  June  30. — The  Blower  Film  Co.  denies  the  report 
that  one  of  its  leading  men,  Howard  Jennison,  was  killed  while 
doing  a  scene  for  their  new  serial,  "The  Horrors  of  Henry." 
Mr.  Jennison  was  badly  bruised  in  a  fall  from  a  cliff  while  doing 
the  knife  duel  in  the  first  instalment,  but  checked  his  decent  by 
clutching  at  shrubs  and  tree  trunks.  Camera  men  waiting  to 
take  the  later  scene,  managed  to  catch  the  fall  and  this  wll  be 
used   in   place   of   the   less  effective   planned   scene. 


If  a  line  is  added  saying  that  the  picture  will  be  seen 
at  your  house,  people  will  cry  that  it  is  a  fake.  Since 
they  know  that  you  have  the  serial,  they  will  supply 
this  information  of  their  own  knowledge.  It  will  be 
more  valuable  if  done  in  this  way. 

Now  begin  to  give  the  full  facts  and  in  the  lobby  erect 
a  sign  reading  as  in  Figure  96.  This  should  be  about 
eight  to  ten  days  from  the  start  of  the  campaign.  You 
cannot  run  too  long  on  hints  or  interest  will  wane.  Give 
full  information  in  your  program,  by  form  letter  or 
whatever  means  you  think  will  be  more  direct.  Have 
your  tickets  all  ready  for  the  sale  and  have  your  house 
people  posted  as  to  the  picture.  Make  each  one  read 
every  detail  that  they  may  talk  intelligently  and  inter- 
estingly to  the  patron  who  asks  them  about  it.  Have 
your  registration  sheets  ready  for  the  listing  of  names 
Tell  the  girl  to  sell  consecutive  numbers  where  they  are 
sold  together  or  where  two  purchasers  are  in  the  lobby 
at  the  same  time,  but  to  skip  two  or  three  numbers  be- 
fore the  next  sale.  Later  on,  when  the  sale  grows  healthy, 
you  can  take  up  these  skipped  numbers  if  your  sheet 
has  been  properly  kept,  but  meantime  a  comparison  of 
numbers  will  suggest  a  large  sale  and  bring  no  joy  to  an 
inquisitive  competitor. 


266  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

If  the  sale  languishes,  work  your  mailinig  list.  You 
have  a  list  of  purchasers.  Mark  these  off  and  write  the 
others  along  these  lines : 

We  note  you  have  not  yet  purchased  your  course 
tickets  for  "The  Horrors  of  Henry."  These  are  now 
on  sale  at  the  box  office  or  will  be  mailed  you  on  re- 
ceipt of  remittance.  The  course  of  twelve  two-act  in- 
stallments will  be  sold  for  one  dollar  for  unreserved 
seats  at  the  matinee  and  two  dollars  for  the  evening  per- 
formances. For  the  reserved  seats  the  charge  will  be 
two  and  three  dollars,  respectively,  and  you  ahvays  have 
the  seat  you  prefer. 


In  response  to  the  demands  of  our  patrons,  seats  have  already 
been   put   on   sale   for 

The  Horrors  of  Henry 

The  sensational  twelve-part  serial  (each  instalment  of  two  acts 
complete  in  itself)  made  by  the  Blower  Company,  with  Howard 
Jennison  and  Grace  Munroe  in  the  leading  characters. 

This  newest  and  most  sensational  hit  will  be  presented  here 
every  hursday.  commencing  March  5th. 

Prices 

Matinee  Evening 

Reserved,  $2  Reserved,  $3 

Unreserved,  $1  Unreserved,  $2 

Our  registration  system  GUARANTEES  you 
against  loss  of  the  tickets.    Ask  about  it. 

Figure  96. — Advertisement  of  course  ticket  sale. 


Enclose  with  this  a  Herald  or  any  other  advertising 
matter  now  supplied  by  the  company,  and  be  alert  to  get 
the  hints  the  house  bulletin  or  special  instructions  offer. 

Play  up  the  social  side.  Get  the  young  people  to  form 
Henry  clubs.  Suggest  that  if  they  get  ten  or  more  seats 
in  a  block  you'll  make  a  still  further  reduction.  Point 
out  what  fun  it  will  be  to  all  to  be  together  in  the  same 
seats  each  week.  They  can  take  in  the  first  night  show 
and  then  adjourn  to  the  home  of  one  of  the  members  to 
finish  off  the  evening,  taking  the  members  in  rotation. 


HANDLING    SPECIALS    AND    SERIALS  267 

If  you  give  two  showings,  this  will  help  to  fill  the  early 
house,  for  they  will  want  to  get  started  early  on  the 
second  section  of  the  fun. 

Provide  a  ribbon  or  button  badge.  If  you  can  form 
many  clubs  get  a  different  badge  for  each,  or  at  least  a 
different  color. 

Just  before  the  serial  comes  to  a  conclusion,  you  can 
suggest  that  they  keep  the  club  going  for  the  regular 
performances,  promising  to  make  a  similar  reduction. 

By  the  end  of  the  week  or  the  commencement  of  the 
third  you  should  have  plenty  of  paper  on  the  boards. 
Get  the  press  sheet  and  work  it  over  to  suit  your  own 
needs.  Work  street  schemes  to  rouse  interest,  adopting 
where  possible  some  feature  of  the  film  story.  Dis- 
tribute heralds,  post  cards  and  scenes  of  the  play. 

Get  increasingly  active  as  the  time  for  the  first  show- 
ing draws  near.  If  there  is  a  church  fair  on  or  some 
fraternal  organization  has  an  entertainment,  donate  a 
pair  of  season  tickets.  Lose  your  dog  and  advertise  for 
him.  Offer  a  big  reward  and  make  it  palpably  a  joke. 
Use  copy  something  like  that  in  Figure  97. 


$250   Reward 

r,OST — A  brindled  daschund,  five  feet  long  and  seven  inches 
high.  Intelligent  and  affectionate  disposition  and  a  fondness  for 
children    and   soup  bones. 


$250   Reward 


will  be  paid  to  anyone  returning  him  to  the  undersigned.  In  ad- 
dition the  finder  will  be  given  one  reserved  seat  course  ticket  to 
"The  Horrors  of  Henry"  for  every  foot  of  dog  returned.  He 
shrinks  from  water,  so  catch  him  before  it  rains  or  he'll  shrink 
a  couple  of  tickets  on  you.  His  distinguishing  mark  is  that  two 
back  teeth  are  missing.  Let  him  bite  you  and  examine  the  marks. 
No   questions   asked.     I   will  be   up   all   night,   waiting. 

JOHN  DOUGH, 

Maplewood    theatre. 

Figure  97. — Dodger  copy  for  lost  dog. 


Have  several  thousand  of  these  printed  up  and  get 
them  all  over  town.  The  absolute  craziness  of  the  copy 
will  make  talk  where  an  argument  would  not  get  home. 


268  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

For  the  opening  show  throw  the  house  open  free. 
Run  nothing  but  the  Henry  reels,  over  and  over.  If  you 
do  not  want  to  lose  the  first  money  (and  it  may  hurt  the 
course  tickets)  have  a  special  press  view  before  the 
opening. 

In  a  small  town  you  can  go  to  the  station  to  meet  the 
reels  with  a  decorated  automobile  and  a  brass  band.  Tell 
people  by  means  of  signs  to  come  and  see  the  first  reel 
and  you'll  give  them  their  money  back  if  they  do  not 
want  to  see  the  second.  After  the  first  reel  is  run  make 
a  two-minute  speech  and  tell  what  the  series  is  going 
to  be  without  giving  away  the  story.  Then  announce 
that  any  person  who  wishes  may  go  to  the  office  and 
obtain  his  entrance  fee.  No  one  probably  will,  because 
they  wanted  to  come  or  they  would  not  be  there,  but 
there  is  something  large  and  generous  in  the  offer  and 
it  will  impress  a  sense  of  your  sincerity. 

MAPLEWOOD    THEATRE 
JOHN  DOUGH.  Manager 

We   want  to   know  just   what   you   think   of  our   new   feature. 
Will  you  be  so  good  as  to  state  your   opinion   on   this  card  and    • 
hand  to  any  liouse  employee  as  you  pass  out. 


Name 

Address 

Figure  98. — ^Criticism  card  for  special. 

At  each  performance  the  opening  day  distribute  cards 
to  the  patrons  as  they  enter.  These  may  be  about  four 
by  six  and  printed  up  as  in  Figure  98.  If  many  come 
back  to  you,  run  a  few  of  the  best  and  a  few  from  'the 
best  known  people  in  an  advertisement.' 


HANDLING    SPECIALS    AND    SERIALS  269 

If  the  series  hangs  fire,  as  sometimes  they  will,  get 
busier  still.  Use  schemes  described  in  earlier  chapters, 
but  do  not  do  anything  that  will  give  the  appearance  of 
trying  to  bolster  up  a  failure.  Take  the  implied  attitude 
that  you  are  trying  to  build  up  on  your  success.  Do  not, 
if  the  serial  really  is  bad,  tell  how,  great  it  is,  for  you 
will  be  laughed  at  and  not  believed.  Tell  how  much 
better  and  stronger  the  succeeding  parts  will  be.  Try 
and  keep  them  loyal.  If  you  see  clearly  that  you  can- 
not save  the  film  try  and  cancel,  admit  error  and  return 
the  money  paid  for  the  tickets  less  that  portion  used. 
Then  your  patrons  will  be  ready  to  believe  you  another 
time. 

But  if  you  have  something  that  really  is  good  and  is 
handicapped  by  a  poor  start,  fight  tooth  and  nail.  Make 
them  stick  until  your  judgment  has  been  vindicated. 
More  than  one  film  has  been  built  up  after  the  first  sec- 
tions were  released. 


MAPLEWOOD 

THEATRE 

SOMEWHERE 

N.  Y. 

I   am  a  member  of 
accordingly: 

the 

order   checked.      Please   credit  my 

vote 

A.  F.  & 
K.   of  C 
Charity 

\.  M. 
Circle 

B. 
K. 
O. 

P.  O.  E. 
P. 

E.    S. 

I.  O.  O.  F. 

Arcanum 
Red   Men 

[Cr  Check 

the 

society   you   wish    to   vote    for 

Figure  99. — Voting  ticket.- 

Adapt  the  school  vote  to  the  situation  and  offer  a 
suitable  prize  to  the  organization  having  the  most  mem- 
bers in  the  house.  Let  each  patron  be  given  a  vote  on 
entering,  arranged  as  in  Figure  99.  But  with  all  local 
orders.  Let  these  be  voted  on  leaving  and  announce  the 
vote  the  next  day,  sending  a  check  to  the  secretary  of 
the  winning  organization  and  letters  to  the  others  ex- 
pressing the  hope  that  they  will  be  more  fortunate  next 
time. 


270  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Post  the  results.  If  it  is  a  second  or  third  wioning 
mark  it  so  and  nurse  the  club  pride  along.  The  prize 
may  be  small  but  the  glory  will  be  great. 

Keep  your  advertising  on  the  street.  Do  not  merely 
advertise  the  day  of  the  performance.  Get  the  wagon 
or  other  attractor  out  the  day  before  or  two  days  before. 
Don't  give  them  a  chance  to  forget. 

If  the  attraction  is  poor  but  is  being  bolstered  up,  say 
so  frankly.  Admit  that  a  change  was  needed  and  state 
that  this  is  being  made.  At  least  one  big  serial  was  partly 
saved  by  work  done  after  a  number  of  instalments  had 
been  released,  and  another  was  turned  into  a  winner 
after  the  tenth  episode. 

If  the  attraction  carries  some  unknown  star,  make  the 
player  known — and  liked.  Use  plenty  of  post  cards. 
Get  the  paper  to  print  a  biographical  sketch.  Use  the 
mailing  list  and  the  screen.  If  he  is  working  for  you  he 
must  be  good,  so  help  him  to  succeed  just  as  earnestly 
as  though  he  were  a  star  under  your  personal  manage- 
ment. 

It  is  not  so  much  what  you  do  as  the  way  you  do  it 
that  counts.  Get  a  special  stage  setting  used  only  for 
the  series.  If  you  cannot  afford  a  setting,  get  some  new 
draperies  or  some  potted  plants  or  some  flowers  or  mark 
the  stage  in  any  way  so  as  to  set  it  apart  as  a  special 
night.  Watch  to  see  where  you  can  work  an  effect. 
Perhaps  a  bugle  call,  or  a  crash,  at  some  vital  moment 
will  "make"  the  instalment.  Perhaps  you  need  a  violin 
solo  or  a  mixed  or  male  quartette.  You  must  make  this 
seriel  help  you  sell  the  next,  so  you  need  to  make  it  as 
good  as  you  can. 

Do  the  same  thing  for  your  special  features  that  are 
complete.  If  the  release  is  based  on  a  book,  work  the 
book  scheme.  If  it  is  standard  literature  get  signs  up 
in  the  public  libraries.  Most  librarians  will  permit  a 
sign  to  be  posted  on  the  bulletin  board.  Then  run  a  slide 
giving  the  library  number  and  tell  that  it  may  be  had. 

Public  schools  may  be  queried.  Perhaps  an  essay  con- 
test may  be  run  (though  if  too  many  essay  contests  are 
tried  pupils  and  teachers  will  go  on  strike).     The  clip- 


HANDLING   SPECIALS    AND    SERIALS  271 

ping  from  a  Montgomery  circular  shown  in  Figure  100 
will  give  a  suggestion  as  how  best  to  work  the  idea. 


"BIP  VAN  WINKLE"  PRIZE  ESSAY  CONTEST 

At  the  suggestion  of  the  Public  Library  a  Prize  Essay  Contest 
on  "Rip  Van  Winkle"  has  been  arranged. 

1st  Prize:  A  season  pass  good  for  two  persons  every  Tues- 
day at  "The  Grand." 

2nd  Prize.  A  season  pass  good  for  one  person  every  Thurs- 
day at  "The  Grand." 

Contest  open  to  everyone.  Essay  to  be  of  1,000  words.  Contest 
closes  September  10.  Any  one  of  the  following  topics  may  be 
chosen  as  the  subject  for  your  essay: 

The  Catskill  Mountains  and  their  Legends. 

Great  Actors  who  have  Played  "Rip  Van  Winkle.' 

The  Customs  of  the  People  in  Rip's  Village. 

American  History  while  Rip  Van  Winkle  Slept. 

Washington  Irving  and  his  Work. 

At  the  Public  Library  may  be  consulted  copies  of  "Rip  Van 
Winkle,"  histories,  biographies  and  other  works  on  these  subjects. 
These  books  will  be  reserved  at  the  Library  during  the  Contest, 
so  that  all  contestants  will  have  an  equal  chance  to  consult  them. 

Three  well-known  business  men  will  be  the  judges.  Originality 
and  interest  will  be  the  basis  in  judging  the  papers.  Write  on 
one  side  of  the  paper.  Do  not  sign  your  name  to  the  essay,  but 
enclose  it  in  a  sealed  envelope,  writing  your  name  in  the  corner 
of  the  envelope.  The  names  of  contestants  will  not  be  known  to 
the  judges.     Hand  essays  in  Grand  theatre  ticket  office. 

Figure  100. — Model  for  prize  essay  announcement. 


On  a  special,  run  only  once,  you  cannot  afford  to  spend 
as  much  money,  time  or  space  on  it  as  you  can  give  to  a 
serial  that  will  repeat  for  from  ten  to  twenty  weeks, 
but  you  should  do  what  you  can  afford  to  do  with  the 
same  earnestness  that  you  give  the  best.  If  a  subject  is 
much  above  the  average  and  your  serial  is  well  in  hand, 
let  that  drop  a  little  to  circus  the  new  feature,  but  do 
not  neglect  it. 

Many  Exhibitors  have  had  trouble  with  their  patrons 
over  the  increased  prices  it  is  necessary  to  charge  for 
specials  and  serials.  Sometimes  it  is  merely  that  the 
patrons  think  that  the  price  is  too  high  and  that  the  at- 
traction could  be  offered  for  less.  In  such  a  case  several 
Exhibitors  have  called  in  a  committee  of  business  men, 
have  let  them  audit  the  bills  and  have  demonstrated 
clearly  that  the  increased  price  is  necessary  if  the  highest 
grade  features  are  to  be  shown. 


272  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Then,  with  these  facts  certified  to,  the  Exhibitor  has 
gone  before  his  patrons  with  a  request  for  their  decision 
as  to  whether  they  were  willing  to  pay  higher  prices  for 
better  goods  or  preferred  standard  features  at  lower  ad- 
missions. It  has  worked  both  ways.  Sometimes  the 
patrons  are  not  yet  ready  for  the  better  grade  shows  and 
sometimes,  being  convinced  that  the  price  is  fair,  they 
are  willing  to  pay  it.  In  either  event  the  Exhibitor  has 
had  a  clear  understanding  with  his  patrons  and  confi- 
dence has  been  restored.  Later  on,  perhaps,  the  ques- 
tion can  be  reopened  with  the  decision  in  favor  of  the 
big  features.  All  houses  must  come  to  it  in  time,  for 
at  least  one  night  a  week,  for  even  in  the  smaller  towns 
there  are  enough  willing  to  pay  the  higher  price  for  an 
occasional  treat  even  where  they  cannot  afford  the  best 
regularly.  Sometimes  it  is  merelv  a  question  of  slowly 
educating  the  patrons  to  an  appreciation  of  the  fact  that 
all  film  does  not  cost  the  same  and  all  is  not  equally 
good. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 
SUMMER  ADVERTISING 

Dressing    the     house     and     lobby — catchllnes — lobby 
attractors — airdome  hints — the  automobile  trade. 

Summer  advertising  is  the  usual  advertising  with  a 
special  effort  made  to  offset  the  effects  of  the  heat  on 
the  business  by  persuading  the  patron  and  the  passer  by 
that  your  house  is  cooler  than  any  other  place  in  town. 

If  you  have  an  airdome  you  do  not  need  to  worry 
much.  If  you  are  one  of  those  in  the  favor  of  the  gods, 
and  have  two  machines  and  an  airdome  beside  the 
house,  you  need  worry  still  less  for  then  you  may  have 
your  matinee  business  as  well  as  your  evening  perform- 


SUMMER   ADVERTISING  273 

ance,  but  if  you  have  only  an  indoor  house,  there  is  much 
you  can  do  to  make  business. 

Get  ready  for  your  spring  suit  as  soon  as  you  get 
out  the  old  panama  and  send  it  to  the  cleaners.  Begin 
with  your  lobby  first.  If  your  box  office  has  velvet 
hangings  take  them  down  and  put  up  cool  looking  muslin 
instead.  Have  two  or  more  sets  and  pay  laundry  bills 
to  keep  clean  and  inviting.  Use  either  white  or  white 
with  a  light  figure,  but  use  muslin  in  preference  to  col- 
ored china  silk  or  even  white.  Somehow  white  china 
silk  in  a  box  office,  especially  if  the  latter  is  painted 
white,  suggests  a  child's  hearse  rather  than  a  place  of 
amusement. 

Get  rid  of  all  reds  and  reddish  yellows  in  your  color 
scheme.  Paint  over  with  white  or  cover  up  in  some 
way.  It  looks  inviting  in  winter,  but  not  during  the 
summer  months.  Some  Exhibitors  will  not  even  use 
warm  colored  bills  in  their  lobbies  in  the  summer. 

If  you  have  your  people  uniformed,  put  them  into 
gray  coats  and  white  ducks.  See  that  they  have  two  or 
more  pairs  of  trousers  and  know  where  the  laundry  is. 
Insist  that  they  look  fresh  and  cool.  Put  your  box  office 
woman  into  white  with  a  light  blue  or  soft  colored  tie 
instead  of  red  or  black.  If  she  has  flufTy  hair  put  a  fan 
where  the  indirect  draft  will  blow  it  about,  not  violently, 
but  lightly.  Get  her  to  wear  light  ties  that  will  blow 
about,  too. 

Tell  the  entire  staff  that  you'll  fire  the  first  person 
who  uses  a  palm  leaf  fan  or  admits  that  it  is  a  hot  day. 
Put  fans  to  work  to  avoid  the  first.  For  the  second,  a 
quiet  "We  never  notice  it  here,"  in  response  to  the  usual 
"Is  it  hot  enough  for  you,"  will  have  a  wonderful  moral 
effect. 

Have  an  electric  fan  near  the  entrance  on  the  inside 
so  that  the  light  draperies  will  blow  out  and  the  patron 
I'eceive  an  impression  of  coolness  immediately  on  his 
entrance.  Put  a  fan  in  the  lobby  and  over  it  a  sign 
reading:  "Stand  here  and  get  cool  or  come  inside  and 
stay  cool."    It  will  be  worth  the  current  cost. 

Take  the  brass  signs  out  of  the  lobby.     Replace  them 


274  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

with  frames  of  wood  painted  white  and  sprinkled  with 
pounded  mica  or  glass  before  the  paint  is  fully  dry.  Per- 
haps you  can  get  some  of  the  glass  icicles  they  use  on 
Christmas  trees.  You  will  probably  not  be  permitted  to 
use  cotton  batting  snow,  but  perhaps  asbestos  wool  can 
be  used  if  you  can  get  some  white  enough,  though  snow 
is  apt  to  get  dusty  too  quickly. 

If  your  lobby  is  deep  have  a  rockwork  in  the  corner 
with  a  waterfall.  Light  it  up  with  blue  and  light  pink 
and  green  bulbs,  but  no  deep  reds  or  greens.  The  cool 
splash  of  water  is  inviting  in  the  extreme.  Tie  streamers 
of  blue  and  white  and  pink  baby  ribbon  to  the  fans  in  the 
lobby  to  get  motion.  Do  not  use  small  lengths  up  at 
least  eighteen-inch  lengths.  Below  the  fans  put  such 
signs  as  "There  is  a  fan  like  this  to  every  twenty  patrons. 
Come  in  and  get  your  share. 

Get  other  signs  such  as: 

Freezing  is  an  easy  death;  come  in. 

Trips  to  the  North  Pole,  ten  cents.    Apply  inside. 

Don't  stand  and  swelter.     Sit  inside  and  freeze. 

Cold  waves  ten  cents  each. 

It  isn't  hot — (and  in  smaller  type)  inside. 

Frostbites  for  souvenirs. 

If  we  couldn't  keep  our  theatre  cool — 

We  wouldn't  keep  it  open. 

If  it's  hot  at  home,  come  here.  You'll  work  better 
tomorrow. 

This  is  the  snow  storm  center. 

Cool  as  a  cave  or  a  cake  of  ice. 

Use  almost  anything  rather  than  the  "Twenty  de- 
grees cooler  inside."  Eighty  per  cent,  of  the  summer 
theatres  use  this  and  it  becomes  so  commonplace  that 
people,  seeing  it,  give  no  heed.  They  are  more  apt  to 
mark  the  absence  of  the  sign  than  its  presence. 

Put  in  one  of  those  penny-in-the-slot  mineral  water 
fountains,  close  to  the  street.  If  you  are  in  a  busy 
neighborhood  the  machine  will  at  least  break  even.  Or 
supply  free  ice  water,  with  a  coin  slot  machine  for  paper 


SUMMER   ADVERTISING  275 

cups.  See  that  the  cups  are  thrown  away  after  being 
used  once.  Have  a  receptacle  alongside  into  which  they 
may  be  put.  Do  not  use  a  waste  basket,  but  something 
with  a  hole  in  the  cover  large  enough  to  let  the  cup  go 
through.  If  a  house  employee  has  to  put  a  cup  into  the 
barrel,  let  him  crush  it  as  he  does  so,  a  silent  anticipation 
of  the  suggestion  that  perhaps  the  cups  are  used  re- 
peatedly. 

Get  two  large  spirit  thermometers  of  the  sort  dis- 
tributed by  advertisers  to  grocery  stores.  Have  them 
both  alike.  Crack  the  bulb  in  one  and  let  the  spirit  run 
out.  Run  a  colored  straw  or  wire  into  the  tube  to  about 
sixty  degrees.  Mould  a  new  bulb  from  sealing  wax  and 
replace  the  metal  guard.  Do  not  fix  the  other.  Put  both 
on  the  street,  lettering  one  "Here,"  and  the  other  "Inside 
temperature.     Come  in  and  see  for  yourself." 

Do  not  permit  your  lobby  to  become  crowded.  Just 
as  you  remove  heavy  rugs  and  hangings  for  the  summer, 
remove  an  excess  of  frames  and  boards.  Keep  the  lobby 
clear  and  open,  suggesting  the  breeziness  of  space. 

Inside  the  house  use  light  hangings.  Screen  out  the 
sunlight  in  such  a  way  that  the  air  may  enter.  Dress  the 
ushers  in  white  and  grey.  Get  slip  covers  for  the  seats 
if  you  can  afford  them.  If  the  walls  are  dark  do  not 
paint  them  over,  but  hang  up  light  draperies.  It  is  not 
necessary  that  the  walls  should  be  dark  to  show  a  good 
picture.  No  matter  how  perfect  your  ventilating  system, 
use  some  small  fans,  if  for  no  other  reason  than  the 
moral  effect.  If  your  exit  opens  into  the  lobby  have  one 
fan  to  throw  a  current  of  air  into  the  faces  of  those  who 
approach  and  another,  rather  lower  down,  to  blow 
through  the  door  when  it  opens. 

If  you  use  colored  lights  for  decoration,  replace  the 
hot  reds  and  greens  with  cool  shades  of  pink  and  blue 
and  light  green.  Scent  the  air  to  kill  the  dead,  dusty 
odor  of  the  hot  streets.  Do  not  pump  it  out  with  an 
atomizer.  Use  lilac  or  violet  and  get  the  effect  by  soak- 
ing a  clotli  with  the  perfume  and  hanging  it  in  front  of 
the  intake  fan.  Yon  do  not  want  a  pronounced  smell, 
but  just  the  suggestion  of  an  odor  like  wind  blowing  over 


276  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

a  rose  garden.  In  winter  time  the  use  of  perfumes  is  to 
be  discouraged  as  suggesting  that  you  are  trying  to  cover 
up  something  worse,  but  in  summer  it  is  not  only  permis- 
sible but  wise  to  freshen  the  burnt  air  with  just  the  hint 
of  a  perfume. 

In  your  newspaper  advertising  keep  away  from  the 
suggestions  of  heat.  A  cut  of  a  polar  bear  is  better  than 
a  line  "It's  hot."  The  reader  will  see  the  line,  groan, 
agree  and  look  for  more  pleasant  reading,  but  it  is  about 
the  time  of  year  that  he  is  interested  in  polar  bears. 
Frank  Montgomery  used  the  advertisement  in  Figure  101 
as  part  of  his  first  season's  campaign  in  Jacksonville.  Of 
course,  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  collusion,  but  a  sea- 
son pass  generally  runs  a  month  and  you  can  afford  to 
give  out  a  lot  the  first  season. 


24  Fans— Count  Them  24 

Now  here's  a  proposition  you  can't  beat.  This  applies  to  my 
lady  patrons  only.  Any  afternoon  you  are  in  my  house  look 
around  and  see  how  many  ladies  are  using  fans.  If  you  can 
count  six  fanning  themselves,  call  the  attention  of  the  doorman 
to  this  fact.  He  will  at  once  be  seen  leaving  the  theatre.  On 
his  return  he  will  hand  you  and  each  of  the  six  ladies  a  season 
pass   to   the   Grand. 

Figure  101. — A  summer  advertisement. 


Another  scheme  is  to  announce  that  if  a  patron  needs 
special  attention  you'll  detail  an  usher  to  fan  the  suf- 
ferer. If  some  joker  decides  that  he  needs  to  be  fanned, 
tell  ofif  an  usher  to  fan  him.  Do  not  argue  or  protest. 
Turn  the  tables  on  him  and  the  laugh  that  comes  will  be 
good  for  a  line  in  the  paper,  particularly  if  you  know 
the  joker's  name.  Or  dress  a  small  black  boy  in  Oriental 
costume  and  provide  him  with  a  feather  fan.  Let  him 
stand  or  sit  beside  a  sign  that  reads :  "If  you  can  find 
a  seat  inside  that  is  not  reached  by  a  fan,  we'll  send  the 
boy  in  to  fan  you." 

One  clever  fake  was  worked  by  a  western  Exhibitor 
who  induced  his  orchestra  to  go  on  strike  "because  they 
were  too  cold."     A  night  ofT  for  the  men  and  no  music 


SUMMER   ADVERTISING  277 

in  the  house,  a  splurging  quarter  page  apology  in  the 
newspapers  the  next  morning  and  a  column  story  in- 
cluding interviews  with  the  men  who  complained  that 
they  were  unable  to  finger  the  keys  or  stop  the  strings 
with  the  numbed  fingers  brought  a  laugh  that  lasted  all 
summer. 

In  airdome  work  the  best  advertisement  you  can  have 
is  a  pleased  audience.  Instead  of  hiding  them  behind 
a  high  board  fence,  that  shuts  off  the  breeze  as  well  as 
the  picture,  rearrange  your  lot  to  throw  from  the  rear, 
the  screen  being  back  of  the  box  office.  Then  work  the 
low  fence  and  the  sight  of  pleased  spectators  will  attract 
others,  and  be  worth  all  the  lithographs  you  could  put 
on  the  missing  fence.  To  make  a  low  fence  boy-proof, 
have  two  fences  one  inside  the  other,  about  four  feet 
apart. 

If  you  must  have  a  high  fence,  do  not  plaster  it  too 
heavily  with  paper.  Use  the  interchangeable  boards 
spoken  of  in  Chapter  IX,  have  permanent  signs  reading 
"Today,"  "Tomorrow,"  and  "Coming."  Use  movable 
boards  that  can  be  taken  in  where  there  is  a  driving  rain 
or  when  you  need  to  paste  them  with  fresh  paper.  They 
will  cost  very  little  more  and  be  a  great  convenience.  In 
laying  out  your  signs  always  have  your  "Today"  boards 
nearest  the  entrance. 

Lay  out  the  grounds  as  nicely  as  you  can.  Have  a 
rockwork  or  a  pair  of  them ;  one  either  side  of  the  screen 
but  not  too  close.  The  suggestion  will  be  powerful.  You 
need  use  only  enough  water  to  keep  the  stones  moist. 
Set  in  a  sheet  of  ground  glass  and  let  the  water  trickle 
over  that,  using  fixed  or  changing  lights  behind  it. 

Unless  some  city  regulation  requires  the  space  to  be 
concreted  or  boarded,  get  some  turf  and  flower  beds, 
though  slat  runs  should  be  used  in  the  seat  sections  to 
keep  feet  ofif  the  damp  ground.  Paint  the  slats  and  keep 
them  painted  and  they  will  not  get  watersoaked.  Frame 
your  screen  in  growing  vines  or  get  some  of  the  trailing 
plants  that  bloom  at  night. 

This  is  all  advertising  just  as  the  auditorium  of  an  in- 
door house  is  advertising.     Good  paint  and  spar  varnish 


278  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

cost  money,  but  if  it  becomes  generally  known  that  ten 
minutes  after  a  storm  your  seats  are  dry,  afternoon 
showers  will  not  hurt  your  business.  The  seats  may  pay 
for  themselves  in  a  single  night.  No  matter  how  clear 
the  night,  cover  your  benches  with  tarpaulin  before  the 
park  is  closed.  Keep  them  covered  until  just  before  the 
gates  open,  then  have  them  dusted  thoroughly.  Provide 
women  in  light  dresses  with  a  sheet  of  paper  to  sit  on. 
Roller  wrapping  paper  of  proper  width  can  be  given,  or 
paper  towels.  Your  seats  may  be  so  clean  that  this  it  not 
needed,  but  it  is  a  safer  plan  to  give  out  the  paper  than  to 
try  to  argue.  Offer  rush  cushions  if  you  can  afford  to.  In 
a  neighborhood  park  offer  to  check  the  cushions  of  the 
patrons.  Provide  a  safe  storage  and  a  checking  system 
that  will  permit  them  to  be  given  out  quickly,  and  put  in 
charge  a  smart  boy  who  by  the  end  of  the  second  week 
will  know  that  the  short,  dumpy  old  lady  with  hair  on 
her  upper  lip  owns  the  red  and  blue  cushion  in  78  and 
the  tall  willowy  blonde  who  always  comes  with  the  man 
with  the  curly  hair  wants  the  tan  cushion  in  36.  Get  the 
cushion  out  before  the  patron  can  present  the  check  and 
there  is  the  suggestion  of  welcome  that  clinches  trade. 

It  is  important,  particularly  if  you  have  good  music, 
to  keep  the  crowd  outside  the  fence  in  motion.  No  one 
cares  to  push  through  a  crowd  of  eager,  but  rather  dirty 
kiddies,  all  of  them  striving  to  get  as  close  as  they  can  to 
fairvland.  If  there  is  a  police  force  look  to  them  for  aid. 
If  there  is  none,  have  a  special  officer  appointed.  Get  a 
man  who  likes  children  and  who  hates  to  have  to  turn 
them  away,  but  who  realizes  that  he  must.  It  is  no  sort 
of  an  advertisement  to  have  a  husky  brute  charging  up 
and  down  the  sidewalk,  shouting  and  threatening. 

Serve  ice  water  free  and  have  plenty  of  it.  If  you  can 
make  an  arrangement,  possibly  with  the  confectioner, 
have  a  booth  for  soft  drinks  and  ices,  but  do  not  permit 
either  drinks  or  water  to  be  served  in  the  seats.  It  dis- 
turbs other  patrons  and  you'll  have  a  lot  of  glasses  broken. 
For  the  ice  water  use  paper  cups  or  have  glasses  washed 
in  running  water  before  being  used  a  second  time. 

Try  to  make  the  patrons  more  comfortable  than   is 


SUMMER   ADVERTISING  279 

strictly  necessary.  Summer  attractions  are  few  and  most 
of  the  indoor  houses  are  closed.  Get  after  people  right 
and  you  can  get  the  two  dollar  stay  at  homes  as  well  as 
the  ten  cent  regulars.  If  you  can  give  parking  space  or 
there  is  a  garage  near  get  after  the  automobile  trade  with 
something  like  Figure  102.  You  can  get  the  addresses 
from  the  license  list.  If  this  is  not  possible,  though 
generally  it  is,  work  with  the  garage.  Send  a  card  of 
admission  for  the  recipient  "and  party,"  as  in  Figure 
102.  Get  them  started.  If  you  park  in  the  street,  have  a 
responsible  man  to  look  after  the  cars  and  keep  the 
children  away.  Have  a  water  supply  for  the  radiators 
and  try  and  arrange  with  some  garage  for  a  gasoline  ma- 
chine to  be  sent  over  evenings.  You  can  make  your  house 
a  rallying  point  and  instead  of  letting  the  autos  hurt  your 
business,  you  make  it  a  help. 

It  is  best  to  provide  rain  checks  for  airdomes  unless 
you  can  move  your  bill  under  cover  or  can  cover  prop- 
erly with  an  awning  your  seats  and  entrance.  It  will 
bring  the  crowd  out  in  threatening  weather.  If  the  park 
is  not  too  large  it  is  always  possible  to  cover,  but  the 


SAVE    TIRE    AND    TIRES. 

Plan  your  auto  trips  to  include  a  stop  at  the 
Sky  Parlor,  Covington  Road.  Drop  in  for  a 
couple  of  reels  and  a  glass  of  soda  or  an  ice. 
You'll  like  the  show  and  you'll  like  the  soda  and 
the  rest  of  the  ride  will  seem  all  the  better  for  the 
diversion.  Plenty  of  parking  space,  water  and 
air  free,  gasoline  at  standard  price  if  you  need  it. 
Please  use  the  enclosed  card. 

Figure  102. — Automobile  card. 


awning  should  have  flaps  at  the  sides  to  protect  against 
a  driving  rain.  If  you  are  asked  to  fireproof  the  fabric, 
point  out  that  the  cloth  is  tightly  rolled  except  when  in 


280  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

use  and  will  not  burn  and  that  a  wet  awning  is  seldom 
inflamable  unless  it  rains  gasoline. 

You  can  get  the  summer  business  if  you  hustle  for  it 
and  if  summer  makes  you  hustle,  be  glad  it's  summer. 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

RAINY   DAY  ADVERTISING 

Checking  facilities — loaned  umbrellas — catchlines — 
using  slides — getting  them  in— emergency  sou- 
venirs. 

Rainy  days  and  good  business  seldom  go  together. 
Most  picture  lovers  stay  at  home  if  they  can  when  the 
skies  open,  but  much  can  be  done  to  get  some  of  this 
business  if  you  preach  and  plan  in  advance. 

In  the  first  place  be  ready  to  take  care  of  wet  coats 
and  dripping  umbrellas.  Probably  your  coat  room  will 
be  too  small,  and  it  is  a  good  plan,  anyhow,  to  show  the 
completeness  of  your  preparations.  You  certainly  do  not 
want  to  take  a  hundred  wet  umbrellas  into  the  coat  room 
space.  Have  a  rack  ready.  If  you  have  one  of  those 
long,  deep  lobbys,  you  can  build  this  into  the  wall  and 
never  have  it  show.  Have  made  a  shallow  box,  thirty 
inches  wide  and  of  length  to  suit  the  paneling  of  your 
lobby.  The  box  should  be  of  galvanized  iron  or  plain 
iron  well  painted.  It  should  be  about  four  inches  deep 
and  the  top  should  be  crossed  by  wires  to  form  three- 
inch  squares.  A  rubber  tube  connects  with  a  drip  pan 
in  the  cellar  or  direct  with  a  drain  as  may  be  most  con- 
venient. Have  this  so  arranged  so  the  bottom  (or  under 
side)  of  the  box  forms  a  part  of  the  lobby  paneling,  the 
tray  itself  folding  into  the  wall  space.  Just  above  this 
have  the  upper  panel  arranged  to  raise  up,  letting  fall  a 
rack    of    galvanized    pipe    also    divided    into    three-inch 


RAINY   DAY   ADVERTISING  281 

squares  and  so  hinged  that  when  it  is  down  the  squares 
are  exactly  over  the  squares  in  the  lower  pan.  Hinged 
rods  that  swing  down  fit  into  sockets  In  the  outer  cor- 
ners of  the  lower  pan,  which  in  turn  is  provided  with 
hinged  legs  that  fold  into  the  panel.  One  or  two  such 
panels  will  take  care  of  all  the  umbrellas  that  can  be 
brought  into  the  house.  Other  upper  panels  can  be 
made  to  swing  out  and  up,  braced  by  hinged  rods.  These 
have  pipe  on  their  under  sides  to  which  coat  hangers  are 
hung  when  needed.  The  hangers  should  be  provided,  for 
to  hang  up  a  wet  coat  on  a  nail  it  is  to  get  it  all  out  of 
shape.  Have  the  hangers  and  checks  in  a  wheeled  truck 
that  can  be  run  out  from  under  a  stairway  or  some  con- 
venient place. 

In  dry  weather  there  is  no  hint  of  racks  other  than 
that  the  I  panels  do  not  fit  snugly.  Lithograph  or  photo- 
graph frames  are  in  place  and  the  cracks  are  scarcely 
noticed.  Five  minutes  after  the  rain  starts  the  racks  are 
up  and  in  use,  and  ten  minutes  after  the  racks  are  emptied 
the  appearance  of  the  lobby  is  restored. 

If  you  cannot  use  so  elaborate  a  system,  be  as  well 
provided  as  you  can  be,  and  then  talk  about  it.  Lay  in  a 
stock  of  umbrellas  that  may  be  loaned  patrons  on  rainy 
days.  You  can  get  them  for  three  or  four  dollars  a 
dozen,  require  a  deposit  of  fifty  cents  and  be  indifferent 
as  to  whether  they  are  brought  back  or  not. 

On  the  program  ofifer  this  copy: 

Something  for  a  Rainy  Day. 

We've  laid  by  something  for  a  rainy  day.  We've  laid 
by  umbrellas,  umbrella  racks  and  coat  racks.  We  intend 
that  the  Cozy,  with  your  co-operation,  shall  be  just  as 
comfortable  on  a  rainy  day  as  on  the  fairest  day  in  June. 

You  know  what  rain  and  theatre  going  generally  means. 
The  floor  is  soaked  and  little  rivers  run  down  the  slant- 
ing floor  to  flood  the  orchestra  pit.  Each  wet  umbrella 
is  a  spring  that  adds  to  these  rivulets,  and  each  soaked 
raincoat  helps  along.  The  person  next  you  plants  a  wet 
umbrella  against  your  clothes  and  you  sit  with  a  soggy 
"bombachute"  between  your  knees  wondering  v/hi  ^  in- 


282  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

duced  you  to  come.  The  very  air  is  wet  with  the  evap- 
oration of  the  leakage  and  you  are  miserable  and  sneezy. 
You  cannot  enjoy  the  entertainment  under  such  condi- 
tions. 

But  at  the  Cozy  you  are  met  at  the  door.  Your  um- 
brella is  checked  and  your  wet  wrap  is  hung  up,  not  on  a 
nail  to  get  all  out  of  shape,  but  on  a  non-rusting  hanger 
and  not  touching  any  other  garment.  Your  rubbers  can 
be  checked,  too,  and  an  attendant  will  put  them  on  for 
you  when  you  are  ready  to  go.  No  fee  is  charged  for 
any  part  of  the  service  and  you  are  requested  to  co- 
operate with  us  in  enforcing  this  rule. 

A  rainy  day  is  like  any  other  day — at  the  Cozy. 

On  the  screen  run  a  set  of  slides  with  the  same  argu- 
ment in  tabloid  doses.    Get  such  copy  as : 

No  rain  comes  into  the  Cozy.  We  check  it  at  the 
door. 

No  charge  and  no  tips  for  coat  room  service.  Help 
us,  please,  by  offering  none. 

If  you  want  to  borrow  an  umbrella,  apply  at  the  coat 
room. 

If  rain  comes  unexpectedly  run  a  slide.  Have  one 
permanently  lettered  that  reads : 

It  has  started  to  rain  a  little.  If  you  have  no  umbrella, 
don't  worry.  We'll  lend  you  one.  Ask  at  the  coat  room. 
A  deposit  of  fifty  cents  will  be  returned  when  you  bring 
the  umbrella  back. 

Issue  cards  as  in  Figure  103.  These  may  be  sent  out 
by  mail,  filled  in  with  the  name  and  address  of  the  re- 
cipient or  may  be  given  out  to  regular  patrons  as  they 
become  known  for  regulars.  The  Exhibitor  explains  to 
the  patron,  offering  a  card  and  fills  it  in.  He  also  makes 
a  memorandum  of 'the  name  and  address  to  add  to  the 
mailing  list  and  a  list  of  members.  As  the  card  is  a 
permanent  one  it  should  be  'hard  stock,  or  the  text  in 
Figure  103  may  be  slightly  changed  and  a  metal  token 
sent  that  is  to  be"  carried  instead  of  the  card.  If  it  can 
be  afforded,  this  is  a  better  way.  It  should  be  of  brass 
or  hard  metal.  Aluminum  is  too  soft.  Each  token  is 
numbered   and   the   day   after   the   rain   the   tokens   are 


RAINY    DAY   ADVERTISING  283 

identiiied  by  their  numbers  and  a  boy  is  sent  out  to  ex- 
change the  tokens  for  the  umbrella.  For  these  known 
patrons  a  better  grade  umbrella  should  be  used.  In  any 
case  the  name  of  the  theatre  should  be  stamped  or  burned 
into  the  wood. 


Cosy  Comfort  Club 

Cozy  Theatre 

Sam  Jones,  Manager 


Mrs 

of      

Is  invited  to  become  a  member  of  the  Cozy  Comfort  Club.  If 
you  get  caught  in  the  rain,  either  at  the  theatre  or  out  shopping, 
drop  in  at  the  theatre,  present  this  card  (or  "this  token"  if  the 
latter  is  used)  and  obtain  the  loan  of  an  umbrella.  The  um- 
brella will  be  sent  for  the  next  day  and  the  check  returned  to 
you  to  be  used  in  the  next  emergency. 

No  charge  whatever  is  made  and  no  deposit  is  required. 


Figure  103. — Umbrella  card. 


If  you  are  in  the  traveled  section  make  your  lobby 
work  for  you.  Have  a  sign  handy  to  be  put  out  as 
soon  as  the  rain  comes  on.  The  sign  reads  as  in  Figure 
104.  Men  and  women  will  crowd  into  the  lobby  for 
shelter  to  wait  until  the  rain  ceases.  They  might  enter 
if  they  could  know  when  the  rain  stopped.  If  you  see 
a  woman  who  looks  as  though  perhaps  she  has  spent 
her  money  shopping  step  up  to  her  and  say:  "Better  step 
inside.  A  slide  will  tell  you  when  the  rain  is  over."  Do 
not  pompously  tell  her  that  it  is  on  the  house,  or  that  it  is 
your  treat.  As  you  speak  barely  touch  her  arm  and  get 
her  started  and  lead  her  to  the  door  before  she  can  start 
to  explain  that  she  has  no  money.  Have  your  doorman 
trained  to  give  her  the  same  respectful  greeting  that  he 
gives  the  pay  patron.  A  woman  who  is  given  shelter 
and  spared  humiliation  will  be  a  good  advertisement  for 
you  for  some  time  to  come. 


284 


PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


Have  a  yellow  slicker  and  sou'  easter  lettered  with  the 
facts  about  the  dryness  of  your  house.  Have  a  red  and 
white  umbrella  to  go  with  the  coat  and  paint  this  up. 
Turn  a  man  out  on  rainy  days  or  for  sudden  showers  and 
keep  him  within  a  couple  of  blocks  of  the  house  except 
on  the  days  of  the  steady,  soaking  rain,  when  he  can  carry 
the  message  further  afield  and  remind  your  indoor 
patrons  that  it  is  all  right  once  they  reach  your  house. 


Come    in 
Out  of  the  Wet 
A  slide  will  tell 

When   the 

Rain  stops 

Umbrellas   to  loan  free 
Fifty  cents  deposit 


Figure  104. — Umbrella  lobby  sign. 


Make  an  active  campaign  during  the  rainy  seasons  of 
the  spring  and  fall.     Use  the  papers,  circulars,  program 
and  screen.    Work  harder  at  these  times  but  through  the 
year  make  frequent  use  of  such  catchlines  as : 
The  ideal  place  on ,  a  rainy  day. 
To  spend  a  rainy  afternoon,  try  the  Cozy. 
It  never  rains  but  it  pours  people  into  the  Cozy. 
If  you  can  make  rain  help  instead  l  of  hurt,  you  do  not 
have  to  fear  it. 

Rainy  day  souvenirs  are  i  good  ideas.  The  souvenirs 
are  slight,  seldom  costing  as  much  as  one  cent  each. 
They  are  given  out,  without  previous  announcement 
other  1  than  a  general  understanding  that  this  is  a  custom. 
They  are  kept  on  hand,  about  a  half  dozen  sets  being  in 
the  house,  and  are  given  out  whenever  it  rains  about  the 
time  the  house  is  coming  in. 

If  you  make  proper  provision  for  rainy  days  you  will 
not  have  to  coax  them  with  presents,  but  these  little  gifts 
are  appreciated  and  sometimes  help  to  pull'business. 


OPENING  A   HOUSE  285 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

OPENING  A  HOUSE 

Waking  up  a  town — announcement  of  intention — pre- 
liminary work — the  opening. 

Advertising  the  opening  of  a  house  presents  many 
angles,  but  in  general  the  plan  of  campaign  depends  on 
the  locality  and  nature  of  the  house  and  the  personality 
of  the  Exhibitor.  Something  depends  on  the  origin  as 
well,  for  if  you  have  lived  in  a  town  all  your  life,  you 
should  be  known.  If  you  come  in  a  stranger,  you  must 
tell  who  you  are.  Here  a  little  modest  brag  may  be 
excused. 

If  you  are  a  resident  you  might  start  in: 

I  don't  have  to  tell  you  who  I  am.  Many  of  you 
know  me  and  more  know  of  me,  and  I  think  you'll  realize 
that  when  I  say  that  I  am  going  to  try  and  give  Chester 
the  best  show  it  ever  had,  I  mean  what  I  say,  and  can 
come  pretty  close  to  doing  it. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  newcomer  would  start  in  more 
like  this: 

I  am  a  stranger  to  you,  but  I  do  not  want  to  stay 
a  stranger.  I  want  to  become  one  of  you  and  make  you 
realize  that  Centreville  is  my  home  as  much  as  it  is  that 
of  the  oldest  inhabitant.  To  win  your  confidence  and 
deserve  your  approval,  I  am  going  to  try  and  give  you 
the  best  show  you  ever  saw,  in  the  most  comfortable 
house  you  ever  had.  Large  talk,  perhaps,  but  wait  and 
see.  I'm  going  to  try  and  more  than  make  good  for  that 
promise. 

The  opening  gun  in  the  campaign,  whether  the  house 
is  an  old  one  taken  over  or  a  new  one  yet  to  be  built,  is 
the  announcement  of  intention  in  the  newspaper.     Take 


286  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

across  two  or  three  columns  half  way  down  the  page  if 
space  is  cheap  enough,  and  generally  the  town  that  can 
be  affected  by  advance  work  of  this  sort  is  small  enough 
to  assure  a  liberal  newspaper  rate. 

Tell  briefly  but  fully  what  you  intend  to  do.  Have  it 
all  straight  reading,  except  for  the  head.  Have  it  set 
in  twelve-point  in  preference  to  ten,  or  lead  out,  even  if 
it  does  eat  up  space.  Tell  frankly  and  interestingly  and 
honestly  just  what  you  intend  to  do. 

Frank  T.  Montgomery  has  written  some  very  interest- 
ing breaking-in  advertisements.  As  one  resident  of 
Jacksonville  sought  to  explain:  "He  made  such  outlandish 
promises  that  we  thought  he  was  crazy,  so  we  were  in- 
terested and  went  to  see  what  he  had  to  offer."  Mr, 
Montgomery  explained  the  other  side  by  saying:  "I  stick 
to  facts  but  state  them  so  extravagantly  that  they  feel 
certain  I'm  a  liar  and  they  come  to  prove  me  a  liar.  But 
the  fact  is  not  extravagant  if  the  method  of  stating  it  is, 
and  so  I  am  well  within  my  facts  and  promises.  They 
find  that  I  speak  the  truth  and  I  have  their  confidence. 


This  town  needs  fixing 

I'm  going"  to  tix  it 

There  isn't  a  finer  city  in  the  State  than  Centreville,  but  that 
makes  it  seem  all  the  more  strange  that  you  have  never  had  a 
really  first-class  motion  picture  show.  You're  not  always  going 
to  be  contented  with  old  films  of  the  lesser  makers.  Some  day 
you'll  want  a  comfortable  house  and  the  right  sort  of  pictures. 

Tliat's  Wliat  I'm  liere  for 

I'm  going  to  give  you  the  house  and  pictures  good  enough 

To  Sliock  you 

with   delight   and   surprise. 


Figure  105. — Opening  announcement. 

But  unless  you  do  this  with  Mr.  Montgomery's  pic- 
turesque phraseology,  it  is  better  to  confine  yourself  to 
facts  and  state  clearly  and  briefly  what  you  aim  to  do, 


OPENING  A   HOUSE  287 

out  tell  it  smartly.  Try  something  like  that  shown  In 
Figure  105.  Get  them  talking.  Let  them  call  you  crazy 
,'f  they  will.  A  medicine  show  doctor  lets  his  hair  grow 
long  to  attract  attention  to  himself.  You  can  see  a 
barber  now  and  then  and  still  be  in  the  public  eye.  Get 
one  line,  at  least,  in  every  advertisement  that  will  catch 
the  attention  of  every  reader,  and  if  you  do  that,  in  your 
pre-opening  anouncements  you  can  use  the  rest  of  the 
space  for  solid  talking  instead  of  display.  You  do  not 
need  display  until  you  come  to  advertise  your  films.  In 
the  meantime  the  reading  advertisement  is  better. 

Run  a  series  of  these  about  twice  a  week,  about  Sun- 
day or  Wednesday,  or  Wednesday  and  Saturday  if  there 
is  no  Sunday  issue.  Get  hold  of  a  mailing  list  if  you 
can  and  send  out  announcements.  Here  is  one,  rather 
lengthy,  but  it  may  be  adapted  as  desired.  The  original 
is  by  George  A.  Bleich. 

TO  THE   PARENT  WHO   CARES,   SPARE  A 
MOMENT  TO  READ  THIS. 

My  photoplay  theatre,  now  under  construction,  will 
soon  be  ready  to  open  and  I  desire  to  say  a  few  words 
with  reference  to  *he  conduct  of  the  place,  and  the  in- 
fluence it  will  have  on  children. 

There  are  parents  forbidding  their  children  attending 
picture  shows,  and  other  places  of  cheap  amusement  of 
the  kind,  and  you  are  the  ones  to  whom  this  is  most 
directed.  I  want  to  remove  some  of  the  prejudice  you 
may  hold  against  all  picture  shows  possibly,  at  least  I 
want  to  tell  you  how  I  conduct  my  picture  show,  and 
then  after  you  are  satisfied  in  time  that  I  am  telling  the 
truth  you  ought  to  assent  to  a  removal  of  the  ban. 

In  my  theatre,  refinement  prevails.  This  does  not 
mean  that  I  cater  only  to  the  highly  fashionable  patron- 
age by  any  means.  Respectable  people  of  all  degrees  are 
welcome  in  my  house,  and  I  do  not  discriminate  except 
that  the  rowdy,  the  "masher"  and  the  undesirables  in 
general  soon  give  my  place  a  wide  berth. 


288  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Young  boys  are  z  hard  proposition  to  handle  by  many, 
but  I  have  little  trouble  on  that  score.  Order  from  them 
is  demanded,  and  when  I  find  one  who  disobeys,  further 
admittance  is  refused. 

So  I  warrant  you  good  order,  and  this  brings  us  to  the 
most  important  part  of  all  things,  what  the  child  sees 
and  hears,  and  the  influence  of  moving  pictures. 

Now  eliminate  entirely  stage  "actin'  "  and  "vodevil" 
the  merits  or  demerits  of  which  it  is  unnecessary  to  dis- 
cuss, because  that  kind  of  entertainment  forms  no  part 
of  my  show.  Mine  is  a  straight  program  of  motion  pic- 
tures, with  the  addition  of  good  music. 

It  may  be  that  you  disapprove  of  moving  pictures,  be- 
cause you  believe  they  are  vicious,  too  sensational  many 
times,  and  harmful  and  unhealthy  morally  for  the  young. 
There  are  some  films  of  that  kind  extant  and  managers 
utterly  unconcerned  as  to  what  kind  of  pictures  are  of- 
fered their  patrons  I'll  admit,  but  fortunately  for  the 
business,  few  in  numbers  and  growing  less.  The  mana- 
gers with  a  spoonful  of  common  sense  have  long  ago 
cleaned  out  and  quit  showing  any  such  stuff  like  "The 
Jesse  James  Gang,"  "Five  Years  in  Sing  Sing,"  "Beulah 
Binford"  and  that  kind  of  rot,  but  at  any  rate  here  is 
one  of  them  that  does  not  show  any  such  pictures,  and 
never  will,  and  I  ask  you  to  believe  this  a  fact. 

I  want  to  extend  you  this  assurance:  Your  child,  if 
permitted  to  attend  my  show  will  not  see  or  hear  any- 
thing improper  in  the  slightest  degree ;  never  that  which 
is  degrading,  never  the  sensational.  I  do  not  depend  on 
that  kind  to  attract.  You  may  feel  that  I  am  lying  to 
you  now,  because  the  show  business  seems  to  have  a 
corner  on  all  the  liars  in  the  world  not  in  politics,  but 
keep  an  eye  on  the  Empress  and  sooner  or  later  you  will 
be  satisfied  that  the  entertainment  there  is  wholesome  and 
a  perfectly  fit  place  for  your  boy  or  girl  to  attend  and  I 
am  basing  my  financial  success  on  your  finding  this  out. 

But  do  not  draw  a  conclusion  that  my  aim  is  that  of 
catering  to  children  alone.  Far  from  it.  The  Empress 
is  for  the  grown  up.  Neither  must  you  imagine  that  the 
program  will  consist  of  the  religious,  scientific,  or  such, 


OPENING   A   HOUSE  289 

in  the  entire.  Clean  comedy,  the  wild  Western,  the 
beautiful  heroine,  splendid  hero,  and  deep  dyed  villain, 
will  cavort  in  the  pictures  as  of  old,  along  with  the 
classic,  the  artistic,  because  there  is  good  in  everything 
when  properly  wrought,  and  I  shall  display  no  toher 
kind. 

Respectfully  and  sincerely  yours, 

GEO.  A.  BLEICH,  Prop. 

Meantime,  get  busy  with  the  house.  If  you  are  build- 
ing, build  behind  a  fence  and  paint  announcements  on 
the  fence.  Have  one  sign  to  cover  the  fence;  a  nicely 
painted  sign.  In  this  set  two  panels  that  can  be  changed 
daily.  Here  the  marking  brush,  for  the  first  and  about 
the  last  time,  can  be  used.  Keep  the  announcements 
short,  snappy  and  interesting.  Tell  just  how  you  are 
getting  along  with  the  building.  Say:  "Ordered  450 
seats  today.  Mighty  comfortable  seats,  too.  No  hard- 
wood stuffing,  just  hair."  Tell  all  the  little  details  and 
soon  you'll  have  the  public  as  much  interested  as  you 
are.  But  they  won't  get  interested  in  "On  this  site 
will  be  erected  a  commodious  motion  picture  palace  with 
a  capacity  of  350'."  They'll  know  that  after  one  reading. 
Tell  the  news. 

Obstruct  traffic  as  little  as  possible.  Keep  building 
material  off  the  street.  If  you  must  shut  off  the  sidewalk, 
build  a  false  one,  and  apologize  on  the  fence  for  the 
detour ;  not  an  abject  apology,  but  a  friendly  one. 

Do  nothing  to  make  them  feel  that  your  coming  is  a 
nuisance  to  be  resented.  Be  certain  of  your  welcome  at 
all  times. 

If  you  are  not  building  but  are  taking  over  another 
house,  close  down  "for  repairs."  Make  some  changes 
in  the  house.  Even  if  the  house  has  been  run  nicely  and 
needs  no  real  repairing,  clean  it  out  and  endeavor  to 
change  the  appearance,  particularly  the  lobby,  as  much 
as  possible.  Sometimes  you  can  make  a  very  pronounced 
change  for  very  little  money.  The  public  will  expect  the 
house  to  look  different.     They  will  not  believe  that  any 


290  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

changes  have  been  made  unless  the  appearance  has  been 
changed. 

One  thing  you  will  need  to  do  is  to  clean  out.  If  you 
cannot  get  enough  rubbish  from  the  house,  bring  some  in 
the  back  way  and  set  it  in  barrels  on  the  front  sidewalk. 
Then  Smith  goes  home  and  tells  his  wife  that  he  always 
knew  the  Gem  was  pretty  dirty,  but  the  new  man  cleaned 
up  nineteen  barrels  of  dirt,  which  is  more  than  he  thought 
there  was  there. 

Don't  say  things  like  that  yourself  and  do  not  criticize 
the  previous  manager.  Probably  he  had  some  friends 
and  your  comment  will  antagonize  these.  It  is  not  for 
you  to  talk  about  the  nineteen  barrels  of  dirt.  It  is  for 
you  to  put  them  on  the  sidewalk  where  they  can  speak 
for  themselves. 


Messrs.  Vick,  Collins  and  Lawrence 

reQuest  the  honor  of  yoiir  presence  at  a 

Private  Inspection  and  Performance 

of  the 

Criterion  Theatre 

the  opening  of  which  marks  a  new  epoch 

in   amusement   in    Southern    Bergen    County 

Ames  Avenue  near  Park 

Rutherford,  N.  J. 

Tuesday  evening,  January  tmenty-third 

Nineteen   hundred   and   twelve 

at  eight-thirty   o'clock 

This  invitation  will  admit 

yourself  and  guest 

Figure  106 — Invitation  to  an  opening. 


Get  ready  your  announcements  for  the  opening.  Here 
is  one  place  where  you  must  spend  money  for  printing 
and  spend  it  to  the  best  advantage.  A  good  form  will 
be  found  in  Figure  106,  but  any  formal  invitation  will 
do.  Use  handsome  type,  use  good  card  stock  and  get 
heavy  envelopes  to  match.  Pay  to  have  them  addressed 
properly  by  someone  who  can  write.  Don't  save  a  dollar 
by  letting  the  usher  do  the  work  in  odd  moments.  The 
job,  as  a  whole,  represents  more  than  the  dollar.  Do  not 
risk  the  loss  of  a  large  portion  of  the  investment  by  send- 


OPENING   A   HOUSE  291 

ing  out  envelopes  so  very  evidently  covers  for  alvertising 
that  they  will  not  be  read.  Be  particular  even  as  to  the 
color  of  the  writing  fluid  used. 

Another  and  slightly  less  formal  wording  is  found  in 
Figure  107,  This  may  either  be  printed  or  set  out  in  real 
typewriting.  In  the  latter  case  the  names  should  be  filled 
in.  With  a  printed  card  this  is  not  necessary.  It  would 
be  better  form  to  drop  the  "Dear  sir."  It  would  be  good 
form  to  have  a  "To"  and  a  line  in  the  lower  left  hand 
corner  on  which  the  name  of  the  guest  may  be  written. 

November   First, 

Nineteen  Eleven 
Dear  Sir: 

You  are  invited  to  the  Grand  Opening  of  the  Peoples 
Theatre,  West  Park  and  Alder  Streets,  which  event  will  occur 
Wednesday  Evening,  November  First,  Nineteen  Eleven,  at 
Seven  P.  M. 

If  you  will  kindly  signify  your  willingness  to  be  our  guest 
on  this  occasion  we  shall  be  pleased  to  make  reservation  for 
you. 

Respectfully, 

Peoples  Amusement  Co, 

Figure  107. — Another  and  less  formal  invitation. 


Be  careful  that  no  one  is  overlooked.  All  ministers, 
physicians,  teachers,  newspaper  men  and  public  officials 
should  be  invited,  as  well  as  leading  politicians  who  are 
not  engaged  in  holding  office,  and  other  men  of  note. 
Be  cerain  that  the  chief  of  police  gets  one,  and  his  cap- 
tains, if  there  are  any. 

Remember  that  an  inspection  is  not  a  regular  perform- 
ance and  that  a  regular  invitation  performance  is  not  an 
inspection.  If  you  invite  your  guests  to  a  special  per- 
formance, give  one.  Give  the  regular  bill  plus  speeches 
or  whatever  other  exercises  suggest  themselves.  At  an 
inspection  the  machine  is  running,  but  you  do  not  plant 
your  guests  into  the  seats  the  moment  they  enter.  You 
show  them  the  house  and  all  about  it. 

For  a  small  house  a  performance  is  better  than  an  in- 
spection. For  a  large  house  with  many  innovations,  an 
inspection  is  to  be  preferred. 

For  a  public  opening  you  have  a  wider  choice.  The 
cheaper  your  location  the  more  noise  you  want  to  make. 


292 


PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 


but  never  play  down  to  the  poorest.  Play  up  to  the 
better  class  of  clientele,  always  remembering  that  the 
higher  up  you  go  the  better  the  crowd  you  can  draw  and 
the  more  apt  they  are  to  have  money. 

It  may  pay  to  throw  open  the  house  free  on  the  open- 
ing day,  particularly  if  you  have  reopened  an  old  house. 
Curiosity  may  bring  them  in  to  a  new  house,  where  the 
interest  will  be  less  in  a  reopened  house.  If  the  house  is 
free,  make  it  plain  that  the  kiddies  must  come  and  be 
out  of  the  way  before  the  evening  performances,  and 
make  is  equally  plain  that  admittance  will  be  refused  all 
children  in  the  evening. 


THEWBt       I  UEl-rv    NANS6N  L.,ta   1. ..-- :       I..l.tl„ 

■MARCH  '  — " 


13  i 


14 


MAkin 

1.5 


MAKIH 


MJiTOA'R  COMHiy 


16  p~;. 


11  wcu 


riUHSOAV 

MARCH 
18 


MAKta 

19 


nci  f»^  t  c^K*  Guntn)  ;  "AmW«K*»  Soar  Gu]m«"  j 
•■The  Ph»ntotn        I  Ai-.j^K.^.-c- 
of  Thr  Violin" 


■^"'    ■'■] 


•Tiir  MJM'  i/!:;;  -i 


TtoikAbootDiiiDc<ri»«'  ■■ 

.-',v;.'!?:'>v;r"fcjR-tJ".'.. 


"Well,  of  Pir.<l^i.",  - 
"lb*  fiit  fftti  Vtit^  , 


■•iIUKDJr 

:uAi;c!i 
20 


Th,.  Cawpon  >>  Worth  5<    Tswwi.  Ad^Juvqn  '  \<' 

"THE  BLACK  BOX"     ^iX.^]. 

KAV  BKf.  VVA1U8*;  ,i.  iwoAd*  .!    .  •  ■':T» 

THF.  BLACK  WiU.LET.  •  Vt,  ,tf^,k  %-j^^' 

Tt.i.  CftHfon  i»  Wolfa  tit.    T<m*jtt»  AitBit^^ti^^^' 


Figure  107. — Program-rebate   card  for  opening. 


It  is  possible  to  use  the  opening  to  build  up  your  mail- 
ing list  by  distributing  cards  that  must  be  filled  in  with 
name  and  address  and  presented  at  the  door  in  lieu  of  a 
ticket.  The  card  may  be  the  straight  inquiry  card  as  to 
likes  and  dislikes,  not  only  to  give  you  a  line  on  the 
names  but  the  tastes  of  your  patrons. 

If  you  do  not  want  to  sacrifice  your  first  day's  busi- 
ness but  are   willing  to  make   concessions,   send  rebate 


OPENING   A    HOUSE  293 

coupons  with  your  announcements.  The  original  of  the 
card  shown  in  Figure  107  is  just  the  right  size  to  go  into 
a  6^  envelope.  To  balance  the  card  the  first  eight  days 
are  taken  and  the  program  for  a  day  is  printed  in  each 
section.  The  coupons  are  divided  by  perforating  rule 
to  permit  them  to  be  torn  apart  easily.  Each  coupon  is 
stated  to  be  "worth  five  cents  toward  admission."  This 
is  the  equivalent  of  a  free  matinee  admission,  but  the 
night  prices  vary. 

In  passing  it  might  be  well  to  note  that  in  the  original 
this  was  a  light  blue  card  printed  in  very  deep  blue. 
There  was  not  enough  contrast  to  permit  a  line  cut  to 
be  made  and  the  halftone  shows  the  slight  difference  in 
color  value  of  two  shades  of  blue. 

Where  one  card  is  sent  a  family,  the  rebate  may  draw 
one  or  more  full  admissions  with  it,  which  is  the  secret 
of  many  of  these  rebate  schemes. 

A  small  Exhibitor  not  wishing  to  go  to  the  expense  of 
a  card  issued  a  paper  program  that  was  torn  off  day  by 
day,  but  for  an  opening  the  very  best  that  can  be  af- 
forded should  be  offered. 

Rebate  tickets  might  be  accompanied  by  some  such 
text  as  this :  Possibly  you  have  never  seen  the  modern 
motion  picture  show,  believing,  because  of  the  low  price 
of  admission  it  could  not  be  good,  but  do  you  know  that 
fully  three- fourths  of  the  former  vaudeville  houses 
throughout  the  country  have  now  been  given  over  to  this 
more  pleasant  form  of  amusement? 

Again,  most  of  the  better  class  photoplay  houses  are 
now  conducted  with  the  same  care  and  attention  that  any 
first-class  theatre  should  have — and  ours  is  one  of  them. 

But  today  the  possibility  that  one  has  never  seen  a 
showing  of  motion  pictures  is  so  small  that  it  would  be 
better  to  use  a  different  text  and  say : 

You've  probably  seen  a  lot  of  motion  picture  theatres, 
but  if  you  have  never  been  to  the  star  houses  of  the  large 
cities  you  have  never  seen  a  house  run  as  the  Grand  will 
be.  We  do  something  more  than  show  pictures.  We 
show  them  as  they  should  be  shown,  with  careful  atten- 


294  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

tion  to  all  the  little  details  of  program  selection,  carefully 
timed  projection,  proper  music  and  the  other  little  touches 
that,  small  in  themselves,  make  for  the  best  in  pictures. 
For  this  reason  we  are  asking  you  to  use  the  enclosed 
card  and  see  the  pictures  at  their  best. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  distribute  passes  too  generously  after 
the  first  week.  It  will  probably  be  necessary  to  keep 
feeding  the  house  for  several  weeks,  but  try  and  use  one 
of  the  other  means  of  indirect  distribution  rather  than 
the  frank  handing  out  of  passes.  There  is  magic  in  the 
word  "pass,"  but  the  charm  is  broken  when  the  pass  is 
made  too  comomn. 

From  the  start  put  your  house  as  well  as  your  films 
before  the  public.  Your  house  will  be  there  week  after 
week.  The  films  do  not  remain.  Tell  about  your  house 
in  the  papers,  and  on  the  screen  and  in  the  program. 
Better  still,  make  your  patrons  tell  you  the  house  is  all 
right.  When  you  become  known  to  them  make  a  tactful 
approach  and  ask  their  opinion  of  certain  features.  They 
will  tell  you  that  the  seats  are  comfortable,  that  the 
programs  are  good,  that  the  ventilation  is  excellent,  and 
they  will  believe  it  the  more  firmly  because  they  told  you 
instead  of  accepting  your  word. 


CHAPTER  XXXIT. 

OPPOSITION 

A  brief  discussion  of  the  most  important  phase  of  the 
amusement  business:  the  needless  fear  of  op- 
position. 

Alore  amusement  enterprises  of  all  classes  have  been 
put  out  of  business  or  hopelessly  crippled  through  the 
fear  of  opposition  than  through  any  other  cause.  This 
is  a  sweeping  statement,  but  it  holds  good  of  every 
line  of  amusements.    It  cost  one  clique  between  twenty 


OPPOSITION  295 

and  thirty  million  dollars  to  down  an  opposition  and 
six  months  later  they  faced  attacks  from  two  sides 
No  man  may  tell  what  the  Klaw  &  Erlanger-Shubert 
fight  has  cost.  Nominally  this  is  a  fight  for  a  mon- 
opoly. At  base  it  is  the  ever  present  dread  of  opposi- 
tion. 

With  veteran  showmen  displaying  this  trait,  it  is 
scarcely  surprising  that  the  Exhibitor,  seldom  a  man 
bred  and  trained  to  the  show  business,  loses  his  nerve 
when  he  finds  his  territory  invaded.  He  knows  that 
the  newcomer  has  everything  to  gain  and  nothing  to 
lose  but  his  slight  investment  of  money.  The  estab- 
lished man  not  only  has  his  cash  investment,  but  his 
good  will,  the  establishment  and  fruits  of  perhaps 
years  of  hard  work.  Generally  he  fights  back,  most 
always  unwisely,  and  in  the  end  both  go  down  and 
new  men  come  to  take  up  the  fight  where  they  left  it 
oflf. 

The  tenth  time  the  Exhibitor  sits  tight  and  watches. 
If  he  has  the  nerve  and  the  patience  and  has  taken  the 
pains  to  establish  himself  against  just  this  happening,  he 
will  win  through,  but  his  first  impulse  appears  to  be  a 
desire  to  force  the  newcomer  to  commit  financial  suicide. 
And  the  newcomer  generally  has  the  same  idea  and 
presently  film  alone  does  not  suffice  as  ammunition.  One 
adds  a  singer  and  the  other  responds  with  a  vaudeville  act. 
the  other  puts  in  two  acts  and  the  first  responds  with  a 
three  and  shifts  the  fight  to  quality.  It  is  not  now  a  ques- 
tion of  number  of  reels  for  already  too  many  are  being 
given.  Three-dollar  a  day  stuff  gives  place  to  five  and 
this,  in  turn  to  ten.  It  is  largely  a  matter  of  which 
has  the  most  money,  but  the  victor  is  in  no  enviable 
position,  for  the  town  has  been  spoiled  for  a  program 
suited  to  its  size. 

Before  there  is  even  a  hint  of  opposition,  have  your 
"fences"  kept  "hog  tight."  From  your  opening  day 
give  the  best  you  can  aiTord  for  the  size  of  the  house 
and  the  admission  you  can  get.  Run  your  house  as 
nicely  as  you  can.  Act  always  as  though  you  had  two 
formidable  opponents  on  every  block  along  the  street. 


296  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

Many  may  inspect  the  territory  you  hold,  but  unless 
there  is  ample  room  for  two  houses,  only  the  fool  will 
come  in.    You  do  not  have  to  be  afraid  of  the  fools. 

Figure  out  that  you  have  a  loyal  clientele.  Figure 
also  that  for  a  time  curiosity  will  take  a  part  of  them 
to  the  new  house.  Realize  that  for  a  time  your  re- 
ceipts will  fall,  but  if  you  are  running  as  good  a  show 
as  the  opposition  they  will  drift  back  to  you.  The 
other  house  is  newer  and  fresher,  but  the  old  home 
has  a  familiar  atmosphere  the  new  one  lacks.  The 
regular  misses  the  greeting  of  the  cashier  and  door 
keeper.  He  misses  his  accustomed  seat.  Sit  tight  and 
if  you  mind  your  own  business  properly  you'll  have 
small  time  to  worry. 

And  perhaps,  in  the  course  of  time,  you'll  wake  to 
a  realization  that  the  other  fellow  is  a  pretty  decent 
sort  of  chap,  with  a  pretty  decent  sort  of  show,  doing 
a  pretty  decent  sort  of  business,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
your's  is  holding  up. 

Perhaps  you'll  realize  at  last  the  fact  that  since  you 
opened  shop  the  town  has  grown  large  enough  for  two, 
and  that  this  other  fellow  is  getting,  for  the  greater 
part,  trade  that  you  would  not  get.  There  may  be 
something  about  his  house  or  way  of  doing  business 
that  is  different  from  your  own  and  appeals  to  people 
who  do  not  like  your  way  of  doing  things.  It  may 
even  happen  that  the  presence  of  a  second  house 
brings  out  business  for  both  of  you.  That  second  house 
may  actually  be  a  help. 

This  may  sound  like  an  impossible  proposition,  but 
think  for  a  moment.  You  have  the  only  house  in  your 
town  or  section.  You  try  to  please  all,  but  that  can- 
not be  done.  Jim  Smith  wants  to  go  to  the  theatre  to- 
night. You  have  a  serial  and  he  doesn't  care  for  serials. 
He  stays  home  and  plays  solitaire  or  beats  his  wife  or 
indulges  in  some  other  indoor  sport.  Tomorrow  night 
be  thinks  again  about  going,  but  you  have  heavy 
melodrama.  He  prefers  comedy.  Again  he  stays 
home.  You  do  not  realize  it,  but  you  have  lost  him 
as  a  patron  because  you  do  not  please  his  choice  of  the 


OPPOSITION  297 

moment.  But  if  there  is  another  house,  perhaps  that 
gets  hold  of  Jim  when  you  cannot  please  him  and 
Jim  becomes  not  a  Gem  regular  or  a  Bijou  regular  but 
picture  regular.  He  always  was  too  much  of  a  floater 
to  be  missed  when  he  became  lost,  but  with  a  choice 
of  pictures,  his  interest  revives  and  he  goes  to  what- 
ever place  attracts  him.  Every  time  Jim  puts  ten 
cents  down  on  the  shelf  of  your  ticket  window,  you 
have  the  opposition  to  thank. 

Perhaps  in  time  you'll  come  to  like  the  opposition 
man.  You  may  even  do  as  some  do  and  plan  fake 
opposition  fig*hts,  working  together  on  your  adver- 
tising and  getting  up  a  scrap  that  lets  interest  run 
high  while  all  the  time  you  are  the  best  of  personal 
friends  in  private.  But  if  you  cannot  bring  yourself 
to  this,  you  should  not,  in  any  event,  try  to  actually 
fight. 

Take  the  attitude  that  officially  there  is  only  one 
house  you  know  about  and  that  the  one  you  run.  If 
you  learn  that  Jones  is  going  to  run  the  serial,  "Ten 
Dodges  from  Death,"  do  not  move  heaven  and  earth 
to  get  that  particular  serial.  Get  something  else  and 
as  much  unlike  that  as  possible.  If  an  exchange  man 
tells  you  that  Jones  is  going  to  take  the  serial  for  two 
hundred  dollars  but  that  he'll  let  you  have  it  for  two- 
fifty,  don't  snap  at  the  chance  of  beating  Jones.  Per- 
haps Jones  told  the  exchange  man  that  it  would  be 
better  for  his  business  if  you  had  it,  and  the  exchange 
man  is  hustling  to  close  the  contract  before  someone 
tells  you  what  Jones  said.  If  you  get  something  else, 
say  it  is  better  than  "Ten  Dodges  from  Death."  You 
never  even  heard  of  "Ten  Dodges."  Why  should  you 
spend  money  to  advertise  your  competitor's  films  and 
accept  his  offering  as  a  standard  by  which  yours  may 
be  judged?  Advertise  your  own  picture  properly  and 
forget  the  rest — officially. 

If  a  man  tells  you  that  he  thinks  that  Jones  is  a 
three-starred  double-dashed  blank,  don't  eagerly  agree. 
Look  mildly  bored  and  say  he  seems  to  be  a  decent 
sort  of  person.     Don't  tell  what  you  think  of  Jones 


298  PICTURE   THEATRE   ADVERTISING 

that  your  sympathizer  can  hustle  right  back  to  Jones 
and  report  your  conversation.  Stand  up  for  Jones  and 
even  the  man  who  is  trying  to  make  the  trouble 
will  respect  you  more  than  he  does  Jones,  who  ex- 
presses himself  more  freely.  Let  Jones  do  all  the 
fighting  and  presently  it  will  be  said  with  a  chuckle 
that  Jones  seems  to  be  worried  but  that  he  doesn't 
seem  to  bother  you  much.  The  natural  inference  will 
be  that  Jones  has  cause  for  worry  and  you  have  none. 
They  will  turn  more  and  more  to  you. 

After  a  time,  if  Jones  is  that  sort  of  man,  you  can 
buy  his  house  cheap  and  run  your  own  opposition.  One 
of  the  two  houses  will  not  pay  as  well  as  the  other,  but 
you  can  make  both  pay  and  generally  keep  out  a  third. 
If  a  third  comes  in  you  can  fight  it  more  able  with  two 
houses,  one  on  price  and  one  on  quality. 

Sometimes  it  is  well  to  fight  fire  with  fire,  but  gen- 
erally water  or  sand  will  be  more  effective.  If  Jones 
starts  the  lottery  schemes  to  back  you  down,  don't 
offer  a  twenty-dollar  prize  against  his  ten.  Write  the 
Post  Ofiice  Department,  enclosing  some  of  Jones' 
stuff.  Ask  if  you  can  do  this  advertising.  You  would 
like  to  but  have  been  told  the  department  may  object. 
They  will  do  the  rest  and  lotteries  will  have  a  rest  in 
your  town  for  a  nice,  long  time.  It  may  be  under- 
handed, but  it  is  justified.  The  lottery  scheme  hurts 
the  entire  picture  business  in  the  eyes  of  many  persons 
and  the  quickest  way  to  stop  it  is  to  get  the  Post  Office 
Inspectors  interested.  Once  they  are  interested  they 
hold  their  interest. 

If  Jones  prospers  at  your  expense,  it  is  because  you 
have  not  been  running  your  show  properly  and  he  is 
wise  enough  to  see  this.  If  you  have  been  running 
along  with  an  undated  service  and  an  occasional  three- 
dollar  a  day  per  reel  feature  charging  ten  cents  for 
what  would  show  a  profit  for  five-cent  admissions,  it 
is  your  own  fault  if  you  do  go  under.  If  your  grocer 
had  been  charging  you  sixty  cents  a  pound  for  oleo- 
margerine  labeled  "Finest  creamery"  and  a  real  grocer 
came  along  and  sold  the  real  thing  for  forty  cents,  you 


OPPOSITION  299 

would  not  be  very  sorry  for  the  old  swindler  if  he  had 
to  turn  his  place  over  to  the  Sheriff.  If  you  take  ad- 
vantage of  the  fact  that  you  have  the  only  show  in 
town  to  give  the  least  possible  for  the  largest  obtain- 
able admission,  it  is  only  poetic  justice  if  a  new  man 
comes  in  and  puts  you  out  of  business.  But  if  you 
have  a  clear  business  conscience;  if  you  know  that 
you've  done  the  best  you  could  for  the  price  you  got, 
DO  NOT  LET  ANYONE  FRIGHTEN  YOU.  You 
are  there  to  stay.  Hold  tight  to  your  nerve  and  your 
emotions  and  you  can  write  the  other  man's  business 
obituary  if  you  sit  fast. 


300  PICTURE   THEATRE    ADVERTISING 

OLDEST,    LARGEST    AND    BEST 
MOVING  PICTURE  WEEKLY  IS  THE 

\    Moving   / 
~\  Picture/" 

Advance    \     W Of*  I  CI     /       '^ear/y 

Togram       e-      \  Founded  by      /        Hon  Rate 

lease  Uates,  He-      \  / 

views.      Comments     \  '      '        / 

and  Synopsis  of  all      \Chalmers/    Domestic   $3 .00 
Leading    Brands    °/         \  /  Canada  $3.50 

^'■''"^  \/  Foreign  $4.00 

Projection  Department 

Motion  Picture  Photography 

Educational  Department 

Advertising  for  Exbibitors 

Foreign  Trade  Note* 

Exhibitors  League  Page 

Music  for  the  Pictures 

Photoplaywright  Section 
Correspondence,  Etc. 

Advertisements  of  Leading 

Film  Manufacturers,  Exchanges  and  Importers 
Machine  Manufacturers  and  Dealers 

Manufacturers  of  Electrical  Equipment 
Theatre  Seating  and  Principal 

Dealers  in  Moving  Picture  Supplies 


THE   ONE  AND    ONLY  TRADE  PAPER  EXHIBITORS 
SHOULD  READ  EVERY  WEEK 


Moving  Picture  World 

17  Madison  Avenue,  New  York  City 


PICTURE    THEATRE    ADVERTISING  301 


The  present  second  editions  of  two  of  our  pub- 
lications are  meeting  with  such  a  ready  sale  that 
they  will  soon  be  exhausted.  New  editions  of 
both  the 

Motion   Picture 

HANDBOOK 

FOR    MANAGERS   AND    OPERATORS 

By  F.  H.  Richardson 

and  of  the 

TECHNIQUE 

of  the 

PHOTOPLAY 

By  Epes  W.  Sargent 

will  soon  be  necessary.  Both  will  be  still  larger 
and  more  comprehensive  books.  For  informa- 
tion and  prices  on  any  of  our  publications,  kindly 
write  direct  to 

CHALMERS  PUBLISHING  CO. 

17  Madison  Ave.  New  York  City 

Publishers  of  the  Moving  Picture  World. 


302  PICTURE    THEATRE    ADVERTISING 

The  Chalmers  Standard 

Moving  Picture  Publications 

The  best  known,  most  reliable  and  most  widely 
circulated  moving  picture  weekly  in  the  world 
is  the 

Moving  Picture  World 

Founded   in    1907    by   J.   P.    Chalmers.      Yearly 

Subscription    Rates:    Domestic,    $3.00; 

Canada,  $3.50:  Foreign,  $4.00. 

The  most  instructive   and  helpful   work  on  the 

preparation  and  writing  of  Photoplay  scenarios  is 

Epes  W.  Sargent's 

Technique  of  the  Photoplay 

Second  Edition 
180  pages  in  Clothboard  Binding. 
$2.00    per    Copy.      Postage    Free. 

The  Standard  book  on  moving  picture  projection 
and  operating  is  the  comprehensive 

Motion  Picture  Hand  Book 

FOR  MANAGERS  AND  OPERATORS 

By  F.  H.  Richardson 

Third  Edition  in  Preparation. 

Motion  Picture  Electricity 

By  J.  H.  Hallberg 

A  compilation  of  facts  and  electrical  informa- 
tion and  tables  that  every  picture  theatre  man 
should  know 

$2.50  per  Copy.     Postage  Free. 

Address  all  communications,  orders  and 

remittances  to 

Chalmers  Publishing  Co. 

MOVING  PICTURE  WORLD 
17  Madison  Avenue  New  York  City 


UCLA-Theater  Arts  Library 

PN  1998  S24p 


L  006  289  153  6 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


JhU- 


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TUmni  ARTS 


FEB  1 2  1987 


MAY 


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FEB  1  .  1^90 

OCT  H"  w^O 
OCT  2  y  1990 


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LIBRARY 


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